Sales Engineers pay range in San Luis Obispo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,560 a year or less, while the top 10% make $266,930 or more. The middle half of sales engineers in San Luis Obispo earn between $135,610 and $224,300.
- $93K10th
- $136K25th
- $164KMedian
- $224K75th
- $267K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $172,040 | $14,337 | $82.71 |
| Median | $163,810 | $13,651 | $78.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $135,610 | $11,301 | $65.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $224,300 | $18,692 | $107.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sales Engineers pay in San Luis Obispo vs. California and the U.S.
Sales engineers in San Luis Obispo earn 17% more than the California average ($146,590) and 32% more than the U.S. average ($130,140). At the median the gap is +31% against the U.S. median of $124,900.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | $172,040 | $163,810 | $92,560 | $266,930 | 30 |
| California | $146,590 | $139,160 | $78,850 | $213,370 | 6,310 |
| United States | $130,140 | $124,900 | $73,870 | $195,270 | 51,790 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sales Engineers salary after taxes in San Luis Obispo
On the average salary of $172,040, a single filer in San Luis Obispo takes home about $116,948 a year, or $9,746 a month and $4,498 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Luis Obispo a good place for sales engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Luis Obispo area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.6), so the average $172,040 buys what about $158,422 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 3.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Luis Obispo ($50,770). A typical home costs $909,699, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Sales Engineers salary in other California cities
San Luis Obispo ranks 2nd of 12 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($180,170).
- San Jose$180,170
- San Luis Obispo$172,040
- San Francisco$154,650
- Santa Maria$146,280
- Sacramento$140,470
- Bakersfield$133,280
- Oxnard$127,420
- San Diego$127,090
- Los Angeles$125,150
- Santa Rosa$121,840
Highest-paying cities for sales engineers
Durham, NC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($183,510).
- Durham, NC$183,510
- San Jose, CA$180,170
- Ocala, FL$176,450
- San Luis Obispo, CA$172,040
- Sarasota, FL$167,860
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Sales Engineers salary in San Luis Obispo: questions
How much do sales engineers make an hour in San Luis Obispo?
$82.71 an hour on average, and $78.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sales engineers salary in San Luis Obispo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,560 a year and the 25th percentile is $135,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sales engineers take-home pay in San Luis Obispo?
About $116,948 a year ($9,746 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $172,040. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sales engineers earn more in San Luis Obispo than elsewhere?
The average here is 32% more than the U.S. average for this job ($130,140).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 41-9031; area San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA (42020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 13.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.81, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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