Cost of hiring in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
BLS counts about 9,830 people in these 17 roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($108,730 a year), E-commerce Order Specialist the lowest ($42,770), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,170 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +19.6% | 280 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +19.2% | 840 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +18.1% | 690 | |
| Bookkeeper | +15.6% | 1,070 | |
| HR Assistant | +12.9% | 60 | |
| Office Manager | +11.5% | 1,120 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.4% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +7.3% | 1,170 | |
| Project Coordinator | +6.3% | 640 | |
| Accountant | +5.4% | 860 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +4.4% | 750 | |
| Executive Assistant | +4.2% | 310 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +3.1% | 150 | |
| Recruiter | +2.7% | 610 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.6% | 650 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.4% | 50 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -15.4% | 520 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $51,010 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $65,819 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against the US
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays above the US median for 14 of the 17 roles, most of all for paralegals (+19.6%) and medical administrative assistants (+19.2%), and below it for 3, furthest for marketing specialists (-15.4%). The middle gap across all 17 is +6.3%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for medical administrative assistants, #10 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for e-commerce order specialists, #174 of 287.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles has more payroll specialists (1.5% of these jobs here, against 1.0% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (8.5% against 6.1%), and fewer customer support specialists (7.6% against 16.4%) and data entry specialists (0.6% against 0.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Worcester, MA is nearest, at +6.2%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +7.1% | 17 | 25,810 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +6.3% (this area) | 17 | 9,830 |
| Worcester, MA | +6.2% | 17 | 32,420 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +5.9% | 17 | 66,240 |
| Salem, OR | +5.7% | 17 | 18,700 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +5.6% | 14 | 8,510 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles span $40,110–$150,910, the widest band (3.8×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $38,320–$57,420. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 11 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, recruiters and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($80,350 against a $66,770 median for sales development representatives).
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against California
Against California as a whole, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays more only for virtual receptionists (+1.8%), and less for 13, most of all marketing specialists (-29.6%). It has the lowest median in California for e-commerce order specialists.
Other areas in California
By jobs in these roles, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is #17 of 28 areas in California. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Santa Maria-Santa Barbara to Napa.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 15,920 | 17 |
| Modesto, CA | 14,480 | 17 |
| Salinas, CA | 11,130 | 17 |
| Vallejo, CA | 10,190 | 17 |
| Visalia, CA | 10,080 | 17 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 8,310 | 17 |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,960 | 16 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | 7,880 | 17 |
| Chico, CA | 6,010 | 17 |
| Napa, CA | 5,760 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $108,730 a year, about $140,297 with benefits; the lowest is E-commerce Order Specialist, $42,770.
Is hiring in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles cheaper than the US median?
For 3 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-15.4%). 14 pay more than the US median, led by paralegals (+19.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.