PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $108,650
- Median hourly wage: $52.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in San Luis Obispo
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in San Luis Obispo. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
- Median annual wage: $109,340
- Median hourly wage: $52.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VH-studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. School psychologists
- Median annual wage: $110,330
- Median hourly wage: $53.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,920
- Median hourly wage: $53.33
- Total employment: 680 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $112,600
- Median hourly wage: $54.14
- Total employment: 140 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $112,960
- Median hourly wage: $54.31
- Total employment: 430 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Csomos Attila // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
- Median annual wage: $115,240
- Median hourly wage: $55.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DGLimages // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Median annual wage: $116,630
- Median hourly wage: $56.07
- Total employment: 120 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $119,810
- Median hourly wage: $57.60
- Total employment: 130 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $120,010
- Median hourly wage: $57.70
- Total employment: 240 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $120,680
- Median hourly wage: $58.02
- Total employment: 290 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $121,100
- Median hourly wage: $58.22
- Total employment: 220 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $124,460
- Median hourly wage: $59.84
- Total employment: 280 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,710
- Median hourly wage: $59.96
- Total employment: 390 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $125,120
- Median hourly wage: $60.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $125,250
- Median hourly wage: $60.22
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $126,490
- Median hourly wage: $60.81
- Total employment: 100 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $126,830
- Median hourly wage: $60.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,850
- Median hourly wage: $60.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $127,720
- Median hourly wage: $61.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $127,850
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 110 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $129,070
- Median hourly wage: $62.05
- Total employment: 110 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $131,550
- Median hourly wage: $63.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $131,780
- Median hourly wage: $63.36
- Total employment: 130 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $132,010
- Median hourly wage: $63.47
- Total employment: 480 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Healthcare social workers
- Median annual wage: $132,790
- Median hourly wage: $63.84
- Total employment: 180 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $133,470
- Median hourly wage: $64.17
- Total employment: 1,950 people (16.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Median annual wage: $133,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.34
- Total employment: 100 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $136,490
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $138,230
- Median hourly wage: $66.46
- Total employment: 390 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $139,010
- Median hourly wage: $66.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $142,060
- Median hourly wage: $68.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $147,960
- Median hourly wage: $71.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $152,240
- Median hourly wage: $73.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $152,270
- Median hourly wage: $73.21
- Total employment: 250 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $152,660
- Median hourly wage: $73.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $156,840
- Median hourly wage: $75.40
- Total employment: 150 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $158,700
- Median hourly wage: $76.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $162,290
- Median hourly wage: $78.03
- Total employment: 200 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $165,330
- Median hourly wage: $79.49
- Total employment: 230 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $170,480
- Median hourly wage: $81.96
- Total employment: 230 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Technical writers
- Median annual wage: $182,450
- Median hourly wage: $87.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $188,850
- Median hourly wage: $90.79
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $200,820
- Median hourly wage: $96.55
- Total employment: 200 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $210,140
- Median hourly wage: $101.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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