Aerospace Engineers Salary
The median pay for a aerospace engineers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $135,490/year ($65.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $103K at the entry level to $205K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.6), so that salary is closer to $124,761 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,512/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $135K get you in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles’s Regional Price Parity (108.6). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About aerospace engineers
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What this looks like in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Aerospace engineers pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $135K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $2,512/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.6), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for aerospace engineers in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $163K | $144K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $182K | $164K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $135K | $121K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $129K | $128K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Entry-level aerospace engineers (10th percentile) start around $103K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $205K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Aerospace Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Aerospace Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $159K | +18% | 140 |
| Washington | $158K | +17% | 5,760 |
| California | $158K | +17% | 9,170 |
| District of Columbia | $158K | +17% | 290 |
| Maryland | $157K | +16% | 3,180 |
| Colorado | $156K | +16% | 4,070 |
| Massachusetts | $149K | +11% | 990 |
| Vermont | $144K | +7% | 100 |
| Virginia | $143K | +6% | 2,540 |
| Georgia | $140K | +4% | 2,230 |
| Ohio | $138K | +3% | 3,710 |
| Hawaii | $137K | +2% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $137K | +2% | 650 |
| Louisiana | $137K | +1% | 90 |
| Utah | $136K | +1% | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $136K | +1% | 130 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | -1% | 990 |
| New Mexico | $133K | -2% | 570 |
| Missouri | $131K | -3% | 650 |
| Kansas | $130K | -3% | 1,730 |
| New York | $130K | -3% | 560 |
| Texas | $130K | -3% | 6,750 |
| Connecticut | $130K | -4% | 1,160 |
| Florida | $129K | -4% | 3,250 |
| Michigan | $129K | -4% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $129K | -5% | 610 |
| Alabama | $128K | -5% | 5,820 |
| New Jersey | $126K | -6% | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $126K | -7% | 290 |
| Oklahoma | $125K | -7% | 1,090 |
| Oregon | $125K | -8% | 250 |
| Arizona | $123K | -9% | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $123K | -9% | 650 |
| Mississippi | $109K | -19% | 90 |
| Illinois | $109K | -19% | 200 |
| Indiana | $107K | -20% | 440 |
| Arkansas | $102K | -24% | 180 |
| Alaska | $102K | -25% | 100 |
| Nevada | $97K | -28% | 270 |
| Idaho | $96K | -29% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $88K | -34% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track aerospace engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a aerospace engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,512/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for aerospace engineers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new aerospace engineers typically earn — is $103K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,190/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is aerospace engineer a high-paying job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $135K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compare to the national average for aerospace engineers?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $135K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — below the national median.
How much do aerospace engineers make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $135,490 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $103,170, and experienced aerospace engineers can clear $205,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,885/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 31.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a aerospace engineers salary go in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles has a Regional Price Parity of 108.6 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median aerospace engineers salary is worth about $124,761 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do aerospace engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.