Quick answer: The Santa Cruz metro employs about 540 software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.
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Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Computing is not a licensed field, so no board issues a permit to work in it. What circulates instead are vendor and industry certifications - the network, cloud and security credentials employers name in postings - and on the academic side ABET’s computing commission accredits some programs, though far from all reputable ones carry it.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 10 schools within 28 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 10 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Software Developers in the Santa Cruz area earn a median $156,910 per year, above the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Santa Cruz metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $156,910 | $174,410 | $135,980 |
| 10th percentile | $92,520 | $105,060 | $82,460 |
| 25th percentile | $124,210 | $136,990 | $105,210 |
| 75th percentile | $175,720 | $216,670 | $171,980 |
| 90th percentile | $209,260 | $272,670 | $214,670 |
| Employment | 540 | 284,390 | 1,687,890 |
| Location quotient | 0.51 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Santa Cruz median of $156,910 is above the national median of $135,980, and below the California statewide median of $174,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.51 means software developers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Technology hiring concentrates in metros with a corporate or data centre base, and remote work has widened but not erased that pattern.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $213,110 | 87,350 |
| San Francisco | $186,640 | 69,030 |
| Los Angeles | $160,920 | 55,540 |
| San Diego | $163,270 | 20,610 |
| Sacramento | $139,640 | 7,460 |
| Riverside | $133,270 | 4,150 |
| Oxnard | $159,430 | 2,170 |
| Santa Maria | $158,290 | 1,680 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for software developers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $156,910, above the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area employs about 540 software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Computing is not a licensed field, so no board issues a permit to work in it. What circulates instead are vendor and industry certifications - the network, cloud and security credentials employers name in postings - and on the academic side ABET's computing commission accredits some programs, though far from all reputable ones carry it. Confirm current requirements with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.
The Santa Cruz metro median is $156,910 against a statewide median of $174,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
