School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $122,450/year ($58.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $156K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.6), so that salary is closer to $112,753 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,512/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $122K 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 school psychologists
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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 school psychologists, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $96K. Rent runs $2,512/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $122K | $108K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $131K | $117K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $139K | $131K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
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 school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $156K or more, a $61K spread from bottom to top.
School Psychologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View School Psychologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128K | +33% | 8,340 |
| Colorado | $125K | +30% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $110K | +15% | 630 |
| Maryland | $110K | +14% | 1,520 |
| Washington | $109K | +13% | 1,420 |
| District of Columbia | $108K | +12% | 250 |
| New York | $107K | +11% | 9,070 |
| Oregon | $106K | +11% | 570 |
| Connecticut | $101K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $99K | +3% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +3% | 3,300 |
| Delaware | $96K | +0% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $95K | -1% | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | -1% | 210 |
| Alaska | $94K | -2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $94K | -2% | 290 |
| Arizona | $92K | -4% | 1,100 |
| Ohio | $91K | -5% | 2,050 |
| Nebraska | $89K | -7% | 440 |
| Virginia | $86K | -11% | 1,200 |
| Minnesota | $85K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Florida | $85K | -12% | 2,020 |
| Illinois | $85K | -12% | 3,590 |
| Michigan | $84K | -13% | 1,480 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -13% | 120 |
| Texas | $84K | -13% | 4,250 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -13% | 1,180 |
| Vermont | $83K | -14% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -14% | 2,600 |
| Hawaii | $82K | -14% | 90 |
| Maine | $82K | -15% | 120 |
| Montana | $80K | -17% | 170 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -18% | 110 |
| Utah | $78K | -19% | 490 |
| Indiana | $78K | -19% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -20% | 900 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -20% | 720 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -21% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $75K | -22% | 250 |
| Alabama | $75K | -22% | 370 |
| Iowa | $74K | -22% | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $73K | -23% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -24% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $73K | -24% | 630 |
| Idaho | $72K | -25% | 310 |
| Missouri | $70K | -27% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $69K | -28% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $69K | -28% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $65K | -32% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -33% | 440 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track school psychologists 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 school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 34.7% 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 $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,738/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $122K here vs. $96K 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 school psychologists?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $122,450 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,640, and experienced school psychologists can clear $156,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,244/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 34.7% 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 school psychologists 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 school psychologists salary is worth about $112,753 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school psychologists 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.