SalariesMetro area
Vocational nurse pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Half of the 340 licensed vocational and practical nurses here earn more than $81,000 ($38.94 an hour) and half earn less. Among the 393 metro areas the federal government publishes, this median ranks 17th highest.
The whole distribution
$64,510$81,000 median$101,820
| Percentile | A year | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,510 | Entry level, or a slow local market |
| 25th | $76,540 | Early career |
| 50th | $81,000 | The middle of the market |
| 75th | $96,960 | Experienced, or a demanding setting |
| 90th | $101,820 | Top of the local scale |
That median sits $1,250 above the California figure of $79,750.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA: common questions
- How much does an LVN make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
- The median is $81,000 a year, or $38.94 an hour, across the 340 licensed vocational and practical nurses counted in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Half earn more than that and half earn less. The figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- What do the best paid vocational nurses in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA earn?
- The ninetieth percentile is $101,820 a year and the tenth is $64,510, a spread of $37,310 between the top and bottom tenth of the same licence in the same place. The survey reports the spread but not what drives it for any one nurse.
- Where does Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA rank for vocational nurse pay?
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA has the 17th highest median of the 393 metro areas the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes for this occupation. The rank is on the median wage alone and takes no account of what it costs to live there.
- Is Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA above or below the California median?
- The Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA median of $81,000 sits $1,250 above the California median of $79,750. Both come from the same survey and the same release, so it is a like-for-like comparison.
- Do these figures cover LPNs as well as LVNs?
- Yes. They are a single federal occupation, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. California and Texas call the licence vocational and the other 48 states call it practical, but it is the same NCLEX-PN exam, the same scope of practice and the same wage series.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025