Santa Cruz County social worker salary, 2025
138 people worked as social workers for Santa Cruz County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $109,828, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at Santa Cruz County?
Official pay range1
$65,000 to $132,454
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest social worker title
Based on the 109 of 138 social workers who worked the full year.
The largest group of Santa Cruz County's social workers (60 of 138) hold the title Senior Social Worker Fcs/Aps, with an official range of $93,350 to $118,123. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $115,272, within the range.
- Median total pay
- $105,945
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $4,793
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $65,000
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 16th
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at Santa Cruz County pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
- Social Worker I$80,905
- Social Worker II$91,938
- Senior Social WorkerFewer than 5
- Social Work Supervisor IFewer than 5
- Senior Social Worker Fcs/Aps$115,272
- Social Work Supervisor II Fcs/Aps$141,803
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Santa Cruz County pay social workers more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: Santa Cruz County next to every California employer together.1
- Santa Cruz County$109,828
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at Santa Cruz County earned $4,089 more than the California average.
Average social worker pay in Santa Cruz County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders Santa Cruz County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Santa Clara County$145,566 average, 1 employer$35,738 more than Santa Cruz County
- San Mateo County$137,387 average, 1 employer$27,559 more than Santa Cruz County
- Monterey County$117,032 average, 2 employers$7,204 more than Santa Cruz County
- San Benito County$82,545 average, 1 employer$27,283 less than Santa Cruz County
Where does Santa Cruz County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1
All 63 California employers
Santa Cruz County ranks 16th of 63, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $90,154
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at Santa Cruz County
As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year social worker, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2% at 62
- the most common formula among Santa Cruz County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $9,528
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $21,180
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at Santa Cruz County
What is the average social worker salary at Santa Cruz County?
Social workers at Santa Cruz County who worked the full year earned an average of $109,828 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $105,945: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $65,000 to $132,454.
How much overtime do social workers at Santa Cruz County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $4,793 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $2,082: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at Santa Cruz County get?
The most common pension formula among Santa Cruz County's social workers is 2% at 62, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $9,528 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at Santa Cruz County
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Water operator salaries at Santa Cruz County$110,676 average total pay
- Correctional officer salaries at Santa Cruz County$139,964 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at Santa Cruz County$144,769 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in Santa Cruz CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Santa Cruz County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at Santa Cruz County at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Santa Cruz County.