Project Coordinator salary in Salinas, CA
For this job Salinas sits right at the US figure, with a median of $102,400 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $102,320, and 15.3% below the California statewide median of $120,910. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#84 of 518). BLS counts about 490 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1082, area Salinas, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Salinas against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | $61,840 | $102,400 | $159,870 | |
| California | $69,180 | $120,910 | $188,560 | |
| United States | $61,580 | $102,320 | $167,970 |
The middle half of project coordinators in Salinas earns $78,020–$129,160. The top tenth earns $159,870 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $51,140 wide, against $70,230 across California and $54,660 nationally: employers in Salinas pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a project coordinator here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,840 | $5,153 | $29.73 | $79,794 |
| 25th percentile | $78,020 | $6,502 | $37.51 | $100,671 |
| Median | $102,400 | $8,533 | $49.23 | $132,129 |
| 75th percentile | $129,160 | $10,763 | $62.10 | $166,658 |
| 90th percentile | $159,870 | $13,322 | $76.86 | $206,284 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $24,380 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $26,760, or about $34,529 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 $102,320 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Salinas, and the California statewide median of $120,910 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Salinas
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 $29,729 to the $102,400 median and brings it to $132,129 a year. 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 project coordinators 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 Salinas
Project coordinators have the highest median of the 17 roles we track in Salinas; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $43,300.
| Role | Median | vs project coordinator | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | this role | 490 | |
| Accountant | -18.2% | 1,050 | |
| Recruiter | -21.8% | 630 | |
| Executive Assistant | -22.5% | 360 | |
| Office Manager | -27.7% | 1,230 |
Measured against the US median, project coordinators rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Salinas (+0.1%), between accountants (+0.2%) and e-commerce order specialists (-4.6%). The typical role here is at +4.7%, so, measured against the US, project coordinators cost less in Salinas than the area's general pay level would suggest. Project coordinators hold 4.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Salinas, 6.9% across California and 6.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $86,540 in the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area to $135,120 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $48,580 a year. Of the 15 areas in California with more project coordinators than Salinas, 2 pay less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($100,770) and Fresno, CA ($101,030).
| Area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 250 | |
| Chico, CA | +0.9% | 320 | |
| Modesto, CA | +0.1% | 670 | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 490 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.3% | 1,720 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -1.6% | 6,720 | |
| Redding, CA | -3.3% | 270 |
Salinas against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Salinas is #222 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Lewiston-Auburn and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie pay just above Salinas and Austin-Round Rock and Raleigh-Cary just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Salinas. Of the three markets with about as many project coordinators, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Salinas | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +0.2% | 1,300 | pay | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +0.1% | 160 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | this area | 490 | ||
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.0% | 17,470 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.1% | 7,930 | pay | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -9.9% | 490 | jobs | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -16.5% | 490 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -19.3% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a project coordinator in Salinas, CA?
About $132,129 a year at the median, or $11,011 a month: $102,400 in pay plus about $29,729 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do project coordinators earn in Salinas?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $102,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $61,840, the 90th $159,870, and the middle half earned $78,020 to $129,160.
Is Salinas cheaper than the rest of California for project coordinators?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $102,400 against $120,910 statewide. The next area up in California is Modesto at $102,490, the next down Fresno at $101,030.
How many project coordinators work in Salinas?
BLS counts about 490 in the May 2025 survey. 15 areas in California have more; the closest in size is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, with about 640.
Does a project coordinator cost more than an accountant in Salinas?
Yes: $18,590 a year more at the median. The medians are $102,400 and $83,810.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1082: 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.