Natural Sciences Managers Salary
In San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, natural sciences managers earn $178,530 at the median, or about $85.83 an hour. The range runs from $129K at the entry level to $313K for experienced workers.
So what does $179K 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 natural sciences managers
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What this looks like in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Natural sciences managers pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles tracks closely to the national median, $179K locally vs. $167K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $2,512/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% 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 natural sciences managers in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $225K | , |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $207K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $193K | , |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $264K | , |
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 natural sciences managers (10th percentile) start around $129K. Mid-career wages sit at $179K. Top earners bring in $313K or more, a $184K spread from bottom to top.
Natural Sciences Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Natural Sciences Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $267K | +60% | 10,590 |
| Connecticut | $211K | +26% | 1,190 |
| California | $210K | +26% | 14,950 |
| New Jersey | $207K | +24% | 10,040 |
| Washington | $182K | +9% | 2,490 |
| North Carolina | $174K | +4% | 6,010 |
| Maryland | $169K | +1% | 4,820 |
| Illinois | $160K | -5% | 2,810 |
| District of Columbia | $157K | -6% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $154K | -8% | 240 |
| Colorado | $153K | -9% | 1,640 |
| Virginia | $151K | -10% | 1,470 |
| Oregon | $143K | -14% | 1,700 |
| Maine | $141K | -15% | 430 |
| West Virginia | $138K | -17% | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $138K | -18% | 7,980 |
| Ohio | $137K | -18% | 1,560 |
| Minnesota | $136K | -18% | 1,530 |
| New York | $135K | -19% | 5,690 |
| New Hampshire | $134K | -20% | 240 |
| Alabama | $133K | -20% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $131K | -21% | 140 |
| Vermont | $131K | -21% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $131K | -22% | 780 |
| Alaska | $131K | -22% | 710 |
| Rhode Island | $130K | -22% | 200 |
| Texas | $130K | -22% | 7,470 |
| Missouri | $129K | -23% | 1,230 |
| Michigan | $129K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Wisconsin | $129K | -23% | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $128K | -23% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $126K | -24% | 400 |
| Arizona | $125K | -25% | 900 |
| Idaho | $125K | -25% | 610 |
| Tennessee | $125K | -26% | 880 |
| Nebraska | $121K | -28% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $119K | -29% | 210 |
| Utah | $119K | -29% | N/A |
| Montana | $119K | -29% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $119K | -29% | 340 |
| Louisiana | $116K | -31% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $112K | -33% | 310 |
| Nevada | $112K | -33% | 320 |
| Florida | $112K | -33% | 4,370 |
| Iowa | $110K | -34% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $109K | -35% | 150 |
| Indiana | $108K | -35% | 1,670 |
| Hawaii | $108K | -36% | 510 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track natural sciences managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a natural sciences manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Yes — at the median salary of $179K, rent takes 25.1% 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 natural sciences managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new natural sciences managers typically earn — is $129K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,720/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is natural sciences manager a high-paying job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $179K locally vs. $167K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compare to the national average for natural sciences managers?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $179K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $164K — below the national median.
How much do natural sciences managers make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $178,530 a year, that works out to about $86 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $128,660, and experienced natural sciences managers can clear $312,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $179K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,016/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 25.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a natural sciences managers salary go in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median natural sciences managers salary is worth about $164,392 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do natural sciences 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.