Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Santa Cruz, CA
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Watsonville, Scotts Valley.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,324 |
| 25th | $109,199 |
| 50th (median) | $147,500 |
| 75th | $189,009 |
| 90th | $189,910 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2021 | $140,000 | $107,671 | $158,500 | 11 |
| FY2022 | $93,312 | $72,120 | $132,511 | 10 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2025 | $133,199 | $96,466 | $181,734 | 10 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 2 |
Cost of living
Santa Cruz's median Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $147,500 is worth about $134,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Santa Cruz = 109.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Santa Cruz, CA area earned a median of $107,990 in May 2025 (180 employed). The H-1B median here is $147,500, 37% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Driscoll's | too few | 2 |
| Itc Infotech (Usa) | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.