PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Infusion Clinical Pharmacist, Oncology
Sutter Health · Santa Cruz, CA
Pay range with your report
Pharmacist jobs in Santa Cruz, CA
The median pharmacist pay in the Santa Cruz area is $78.19 per hour ($162,630 a year), with the typical range running from $71.01 to $86.45. That ranks 22nd of 383 U.S. metro areas for pharmacist pay, and 146th of 340 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Santa Cruz. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Santa Cruz.
- $78.19median pay per hour, Santa Cruz
- $71–$86typical range per hour
- 150pharmacists employed in the metro area
- 110cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Pharmacist roles in Santa Cruz
1 more open role from employers in Santa Cruz. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
Pharmacist pay in Santa Cruz, CA
The metro median is 2% below the California statewide median of $79.40 per hour. Nationally the median is $66.10 per hour. BLS counts about 150 pharmacists employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area, 1.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.72).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $62.46 | $129,920 | 6% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $71.01 | $147,700 | 7% above U.S. median |
| Median | $78.19 | $162,630 | 18% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $86.45 | $179,820 | 31% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $102.32 | $212,830 | 55% above U.S. median |
How Santa Cruz ranks
- 22nd of 383 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 146th of 340 after adjusting for local prices
- 16th of 24 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Pharmacists (SOC 29-1051), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
Get the Santa Cruz Pharmacist pay report
Named employers near Santa Cruz, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Santa Cruz
- Overall prices in Santa Cruz-Watsonville run 10% above the U.S. average (index 109.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 64% above the U.S. average (index 164.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $78.19 median hour buys what $71.15 buys at the national price level, 8% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Santa Cruz paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,815
- Per year: $140,742
- Per month: $11,728
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Santa Cruz
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $148 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,638 |
| 13-week assignment | $21,294 |
Travel pharmacist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Open Pharmacist roles in California
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Santa Cruz as they open.
PermanentPosted today
Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager - Pharmacy Benefits Manager)
Veterans Health Administration · Palo Alto, CA
$177k–$228k/ year
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted today
Pharmacist Full Time
Trinity Health · California
$77.34–$108.26/ hour
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
230+ more Pharmacist roles for you in California
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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Per diemPosted today
Clinical Pharmacist
CommonSpirit Health · Northridge, CA
$72.57–$107.95/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted today
Clinical Pharmacist
CommonSpirit Health · Long Beach, CA
$72.57–$107.95/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted 2 days ago
Pharmacist
Palomar Health · Poway, CA
$65.84–$98.90/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Medication Safety Pharmacist
San Antonio Regional Hospital · Upland, CA
$61.30–$91.96/ hour
New this week
Hospitals in Santa Cruz
CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Cruz, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican Hospital Santa Cruz, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility Santa Cruz, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Pharmacist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville, CA | 15 mi | $78.19/hr | 51,320 |
| Cupertino, CA | 24 mi | $94.35/hr | 58,710 |
| Gilroy, CA | 25 mi | $94.35/hr | 60,390 |
| San Jose, CA | 25 mi | $94.35/hr | 997,368 |
| Santa Clara, CA | 27 mi | $94.35/hr | 133,132 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 28 mi | $94.35/hr | 156,792 |
License and tax basics in California
PharmD from an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do pharmacists make in Santa Cruz, CA?
Pharmacists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area have a median pay of $78.19 per hour, about $162,630 a year. The middle half earn between $71.01 and $86.45 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Santa Cruz a good place for pharmacists once cost of living is counted?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville ranks 146th of 340 metro areas for pharmacist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 22nd of 383 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Where do pharmacists work in Santa Cruz?
CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Cruz, led by Dominican Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a California license to work in Santa Cruz as a pharmacist?
PharmD from an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Santa Cruz?
The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Cruz is $148 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,638 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place pharmacists in Santa Cruz?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Santa Cruz and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Santa Cruz.
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What do employers near Santa Cruz pay pharmacists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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230+ Pharmacist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Pharmacist pay reportSanta Cruz, CA · pay published by employers, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other employers
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare SystemSalinas, CA · 3 postings$99.69/ hr$78–$109
- Kaweah Delta Health Care DistrictVisalia, CA · 3 postings$98.56/ hr$71–$118
- Veterans Health AdministrationPalo Alto, CA · 2 postings$97.43/ hr$85–$110
- Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 6 postings$93.07/ hr$80–$114
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$71Median$92.12High$110
58 Pharmacist postings with published pay in California, 56 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 58 Pharmacist roles
- Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager - Pharmacy Benefits Manager)Permanent$177k–$228k/ year
- Pharmacist Full TimePermanent$77.34–$108.26/ hour
+ 56 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.