Administrative Assistant salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays administrative assistants less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $51,010 a year1: 7.9% below the California statewide median of $55,400 and 7.3% above the US median of $47,540. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#60 of 520). About 1,170 administrative assistants work here.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $37,130 | $51,010 | $72,560 | |
| California | $38,060 | $55,400 | $78,170 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles earns $44,090–$60,160. The top tenth earns $72,560 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,070 wide, against $19,010 across California and $19,170 nationally: employers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,130 | $3,094 | $17.85 | $47,910 |
| 25th percentile | $44,090 | $3,674 | $21.20 | $56,890 |
| Median | $51,010 | $4,251 | $24.52 | $65,819 |
| 75th percentile | $60,160 | $5,013 | $28.92 | $77,626 |
| 90th percentile | $72,560 | $6,047 | $34.88 | $93,626 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,920 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,150, or about $11,806 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $47,540 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, and the California statewide median of $55,400 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
At the $51,010 median, a local hire costs about $65,819 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,809 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($54,740) and customer support specialists ($46,740). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,730.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +12.0% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.3% | 840 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,170 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.4% | 750 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -12.0% | 690 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles (+7.3%), between data entry specialists (+7.4%) and project coordinators (+6.3%). The typical role here is at +6.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 11.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 9.5% across California and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $49,150 in El Centro to $62,940 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $13,790 a year. Of the 15 areas in California with more administrative assistants than San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 2 pay less: Fresno, CA ($50,100) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($50,960).
| Area | Median | vs San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +1.5% | 1,930 | |
| Merced, CA | +1.4% | 620 | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.9% | 520 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | this area | 1,170 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -0.1% | 2,730 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.8% | 3,870 | |
| Redding, CA | -2.1% | 580 |
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is #286 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Boulder and Amherst Town-Northampton pay just above San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Wenatchee-East Wenatchee and Ann Arbor just below. All four are within $410 a year of the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.2% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | +0.1% | 1,510 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | this area | 1,170 | ||
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -0.6% | 520 | pay | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | -0.8% | 2,290 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -6.0% | 1,180 | jobs | |
| Bismarck, ND | -6.7% | 1,170 | jobs | |
| Dover, DE | -11.1% | 1,170 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
About $65,819 a year at the median, or $5,485 a month: $51,010 in pay plus about $14,809 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,010 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,130, the 90th $72,560, and the middle half earned $44,090 to $60,160.
Is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles cheaper than the rest of California for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,010 against $55,400 statewide. The next area up in California is Yuba City at $51,480, the next down Bakersfield-Delano at $50,960.
How many administrative assistants work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
BLS counts about 1,170 in the May 2025 survey. 15 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Visalia, with about 1,390.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Yes: $4,270 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,010 and $46,740.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.