Executive Assistant salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays executive assistants less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $79,790 a year1: 10.3% below the California statewide median of $89,000 and 4.2% above the US median of $76,590. Nationally that is #33 of 509 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 310 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-6011, 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 | $59,310 | $79,790 | $117,260 | |
| California | $58,060 | $89,000 | $130,510 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles earns $64,790–$99,760. The top tenth earns $117,260 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $34,970 wide, between the figure for California ($34,980) and the US figure ($33,000).
What to budget for an executive assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $59,310 | $4,942 | $28.51 | $76,529 |
| 25th percentile | $64,790 | $5,399 | $31.15 | $83,600 |
| Median | $79,790 | $6,649 | $38.36 | $102,955 |
| 75th percentile | $99,760 | $8,313 | $47.96 | $128,723 |
| 90th percentile | $117,260 | $9,772 | $56.38 | $151,303 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,000 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,970, or about $25,768 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 $76,590 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, and the California statewide median of $89,000 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $23,165 to the $79,790 median and brings it to $102,955 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
For the $102,955 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 7.1 remote hires in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two the fee drops out and the remote figure is $11,988. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($88,160) and recruiters ($78,020). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,730.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +36.3% | 640 | |
| Accountant | +10.5% | 860 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 310 | |
| Recruiter | -2.2% | 610 | |
| Office Manager | -2.9% | 1,120 |
Measured against the US median, executive assistants rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles (+4.2%), between customer support specialists (+4.4%) and payroll specialists (+3.1%). The typical role here is at +6.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Executive assistants hold 3.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 3.6% across California and 2.9% 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 $64,470 in Hanford-Corcoran to $106,220 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $41,750 a year. Of the 14 areas in California with more executive assistants than San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 6 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($73,290), Fresno, CA ($77,610) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($72,860).
| Area | Median | vs San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +3.7% | 460 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +3.1% | 740 | |
| Merced, CA | +1.1% | 150 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | this area | 310 | |
| Salinas, CA | -0.5% | 360 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.7% | 500 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 270 |
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is #170 of 506 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Barnstable Town and Charlotte-Concord pay just above San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Olympia-Lacey and Philadelphia-Camden just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | +0.1% | 2,620 | pay | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | this area | 310 | ||
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -0.4% | 720 | pay | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | -0.4% | 7,150 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -6.8% | 320 | jobs | |
| Bend, OR | -13.1% | 310 | jobs | |
| Montgomery, AL | -18.4% | 310 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
About $102,955 a year at the median, or $8,580 a month: $79,790 in pay plus about $23,165 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for executive assistants in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $79,790 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,310, the 90th $117,260, and the middle half earned $64,790 to $99,760.
Is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles cheaper than the rest of California for executive assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $79,790 against $89,000 statewide. The next area up in California is Merced at $80,650, the next down Salinas at $79,390.
How many executive assistants work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. 14 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Salinas, with about 360.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a recruiter in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Yes: $1,770 a year more at the median. The medians are $79,790 and $78,020.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Our open roles pay $800–$1,100 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $14,488, against about $102,955 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: 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.