Salary guide, May 2025
Product Development Engineer pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Engineers, All Other in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA was $141,150 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $128,870 and $166,560.
The Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA median is $18,220 above the national median of $122,930, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100,260 | $128,870 | $141,150 | $166,560 | $207,370 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $48.20 | $61.96 | $67.86 | $80.08 | $99.70 |
BLS estimated 150 workers employed in this occupation in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Location quotient: 1.57.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $66,810 | $90,970 | $122,930 | $158,090 | $189,950 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.12 | $43.73 | $59.10 | $76.01 | $91.32 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Product Development Engineer median is $141,150. The all-occupations median in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $54,730. Ratio: 2.58 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.57 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $111,800 | $129,480 | $161,890 |
| May 2025 | $128,870 | $141,150 | $166,560 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $169,650 | $126,480 to $211,490 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $159,800 | $118,900 to $209,630 |
All roles in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA · National page · Product Development Engineer ranked across metros