Architectural and Engineering Managers Salary
The median pay for a architectural and engineering managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $213,070/year ($102.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $133K at the entry level to $268K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.6), so that salary is closer to $196,197 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,512/month, or 20.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $213K 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 architectural and engineering managers
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What this looks like in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles sits well above the national pay line for architectural and engineering managers, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $171K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,512/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.6), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles offers a genuinely strong financial position for architectural and engineering managerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and engineering managers in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $191K | $168K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $235K | $212K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $222K | $192K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $203K | $181K |
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 architectural and engineering managers (10th percentile) start around $133K. Mid-career wages sit at $213K. Top earners bring in $268K or more, a $136K spread from bottom to top.
Architectural and Engineering Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Architectural and Engineering Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $215K | +26% | 2,270 |
| California | $210K | +23% | 29,630 |
| Massachusetts | $201K | +18% | 7,690 |
| Washington | $190K | +11% | 6,060 |
| District of Columbia | $185K | +8% | 1,290 |
| Colorado | $184K | +7% | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $181K | +6% | 560 |
| New Jersey | $181K | +5% | 4,540 |
| Oregon | $177K | +3% | N/A |
| Virginia | $176K | +3% | 4,390 |
| Rhode Island | $176K | +3% | 370 |
| New York | $176K | +3% | 8,250 |
| Connecticut | $175K | +2% | 4,970 |
| Maryland | $173K | +1% | 5,240 |
| New Hampshire | $172K | +1% | 2,160 |
| Minnesota | $172K | +1% | 4,580 |
| Texas | $171K | +0% | 19,030 |
| Florida | $171K | -0% | 8,710 |
| South Carolina | $169K | -1% | 3,200 |
| North Carolina | $168K | -2% | 6,960 |
| Arizona | $167K | -2% | 4,680 |
| Michigan | $167K | -3% | 14,820 |
| Ohio | $167K | -3% | 9,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $165K | -4% | 9,640 |
| South Dakota | $164K | -4% | 310 |
| Alaska | $164K | -4% | 900 |
| Illinois | $164K | -4% | 8,900 |
| Wyoming | $164K | -5% | N/A |
| Idaho | $163K | -5% | 850 |
| Louisiana | $163K | -5% | 1,840 |
| Alabama | $162K | -5% | 3,790 |
| Nevada | $162K | -6% | 780 |
| Georgia | $161K | -6% | 3,590 |
| Tennessee | $161K | -6% | 3,600 |
| Utah | $161K | -6% | 2,290 |
| Kansas | $160K | -6% | 2,010 |
| Missouri | $158K | -8% | 2,250 |
| Vermont | $158K | -8% | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $157K | -8% | 2,070 |
| Indiana | $156K | -9% | 4,610 |
| Hawaii | $152K | -11% | 1,220 |
| West Virginia | $149K | -13% | 420 |
| Kentucky | $148K | -14% | 1,800 |
| North Dakota | $147K | -14% | 270 |
| Iowa | $147K | -14% | 1,520 |
| Montana | $146K | -15% | 560 |
| Maine | $146K | -15% | 820 |
| Mississippi | $143K | -17% | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $142K | -17% | 4,550 |
| Nebraska | $141K | -18% | 1,510 |
| Arkansas | $141K | -18% | 1,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track architectural and engineering managers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and engineering manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Yes — at the median salary of $213K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,512/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and engineering managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and engineering managers typically earn — is $133K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,951/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is architectural and engineering manager a high-paying job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $213K here vs. $171K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compare to the national average for architectural and engineering managers?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $213K median vs. the U.S. average of $171K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $196K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do architectural and engineering managers make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $213,070 a year, that works out to about $102 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $132,520, and experienced architectural and engineering managers can clear $268,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $213K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,879/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 21.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a architectural and engineering managers 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 architectural and engineering managers salary is worth about $196,197 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do architectural and engineering managers 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.