Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers Salary
The median pay for a security and fire alarm systems installers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $62,210/year ($29.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.6), so that salary is closer to $57,284 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,512/month, about 61.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K 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 security and fire alarm systems installers
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What this looks like in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Security and fire alarm systems installers pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,512/month, which is 60.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 security and fire alarm systems installers in metros near San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $72K | $63K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $79K | $69K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $65K | $61K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $71K | $66K |
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 security and fire alarm systems installers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $80K | +33% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +31% | 1,690 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +27% | 240 |
| Oregon | $76K | +26% | 950 |
| Connecticut | $75K | +26% | 540 |
| Washington | $73K | +21% | 1,670 |
| California | $72K | +19% | 8,180 |
| Maryland | $65K | +9% | 2,230 |
| Maine | $64K | +7% | 240 |
| Iowa | $64K | +6% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +5% | 2,740 |
| Hawaii | $63K | +5% | 380 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +4% | 770 |
| Colorado | $62K | +4% | 1,950 |
| Ohio | $62K | +3% | 2,440 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +2% | 500 |
| Kansas | $61K | +2% | 740 |
| Utah | $61K | +2% | 980 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | +2% | 770 |
| Nevada | $61K | +2% | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $61K | +1% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $61K | +1% | 1,350 |
| Kentucky | $61K | +1% | 1,080 |
| Vermont | $60K | +0% | 110 |
| Florida | $60K | +0% | 8,320 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -0% | 150 |
| Illinois | $60K | -0% | 2,180 |
| South Carolina | $60K | -1% | 1,050 |
| Delaware | $60K | -1% | 160 |
| Arizona | $60K | -1% | 2,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -1% | 2,650 |
| Montana | $59K | -2% | 190 |
| New York | $59K | -3% | 6,620 |
| District of Columbia | $58K | -3% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -3% | 630 |
| Indiana | $58K | -3% | 1,930 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 150 |
| Michigan | $56K | -7% | 2,060 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -7% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $55K | -9% | 1,170 |
| Missouri | $55K | -9% | 1,790 |
| North Carolina | $54K | -10% | 2,880 |
| Georgia | $53K | -12% | 2,220 |
| Texas | $52K | -13% | 10,260 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -14% | 2,520 |
| West Virginia | $51K | -15% | 260 |
| Idaho | $49K | -18% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -19% | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -20% | 1,340 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -20% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -21% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track security and fire alarm systems installers 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 security and fire alarm systems installer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 60.4% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for security and fire alarm systems installers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security and fire alarm systems installers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,840/month. At HUD’s $2,512/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is security and fire alarm systems installer a high-paying job in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles compare to the national average for security and fire alarm systems installers?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do security and fire alarm systems installers make in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
The median is $62,210 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,330, and experienced security and fire alarm systems installers can clear $79,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,512/month, which eats 60.4% 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 security and fire alarm systems installers 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 security and fire alarm systems installers salary is worth about $57,284 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do security and fire alarm systems installers 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.