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Recruiter salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

The median recruiter in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles earned $78,020 a year in May 20251. That is 2.7% above the US median of $75,940, even though it is 6.6% below the California statewide median of $83,500. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#59 of 521). About 610 recruiters work here.

$6,502median pay per month in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
$8,389employer cost per month with benefits
$37.51median pay per hour
610people in this job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

BLS occupation 13-1071, 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

Range10thMedian90th
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$58,540$78,020$124,940
California$52,770$83,500$151,410
United States$47,180$75,940$128,720
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of recruiters in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles earns $73,120–$95,990. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $124,940, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($85,650) is 10% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $22,870 wide, against $51,370 across California and $40,770 nationally: employers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for a recruiter here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$58,540$4,878$28.14$75,535
25th percentile$73,120$6,093$35.15$94,348
Median$78,020$6,502$37.51$100,671
75th percentile$95,990$7,999$46.15$123,858
90th percentile$124,940$10,412$60.07$161,213

Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $17,970 over the median, the 25th only $4,900 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $23,187 a year in employer cost. 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 $75,940 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, and the California statewide median of $83,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.

What a hire really costs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

At the $78,020 median, a local hire costs about $100,671 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,651 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 recruiters 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.

$100,671local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$86,783difference in year one
86%of the local cost saved

Other roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles

Of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($79,790) and office managers ($77,500). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,730.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
RoleMedianvs recruiterJobs
Accountant
$88,160
+13.0%860
Executive Assistant
$79,790
+2.3%310
Recruiter
$78,020
this role610
Office Manager
$77,500
-0.7%1,120
Paralegal
$75,200
-3.6%280

Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles (+2.7%), between payroll specialists (+3.1%) and sales development representatives (-4.6%). The typical role here is at +6.3%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 6.2% across California and 5.8% 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 $70,830 in Redding to $112,140 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $41,310 a year. Of the 15 areas in California with more recruiters than San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, 5 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($76,570), Fresno, CA ($74,170) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($76,700).

AreaMedianvs San Luis Obispo-Paso RoblesJobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$80,340
+3.0%870
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
$80,220
+2.8%36,850
Salinas, CA
$80,100
+2.7%630
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$78,020
this area610
Modesto, CA
$77,070
-1.2%730
Merced, CA
$76,820
-1.5%280
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$76,700
-1.7%1,240

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles is #200 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Helena and Portland-South Portland pay just above San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Warner Robins and Wenatchee-East Wenatchee just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs San Luis Obispo-Paso RoblesJobsClose in
Charlottesville, VA
$82,430
+5.7%610jobs
Portland-South Portland, ME
$78,100
+0.1%1,310pay
Helena, MT
$78,020
+0.0%280pay
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$78,020
this area610
Warner Robins, GA
$77,920
-0.1%470pay
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
$77,920
-0.1%240pay
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
$64,860
-16.9%620jobs
Lubbock, TX
$60,380
-22.6%610jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

About $100,671 a year at the median, or $8,389 a month: $78,020 in pay plus about $22,651 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What is the pay range for recruiters in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?

Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $78,020 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $58,540, the 90th $124,940, and the middle half earned $73,120 to $95,990.

Is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles cheaper than the rest of California for recruiters?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $78,020 against $83,500 statewide. The next area up in California is Salinas at $80,100, the next down Modesto at $77,070.

How many recruiters work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?

BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. 15 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Salinas, with about 630.

Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?

Yes: $520 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,020 and $77,500.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.