High paying entry level jobs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

These occupations in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA run 8.6% above the national average (2024), so a San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA salary is worth about 0.92× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

OccupationMedian, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA · Employed

1Lawyers$175,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,130 – $272,170290
2Pharmacists$172,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$132,870 – $202,810240
3Dentists, General$170,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,990 – $323,130100
4Nurse Practitioners$162,950
Master's degree
$132,740 – $210,610140
5Physician Assistants$162,790
Master's degree
$126,750 – $192,770100
6Veterinarians$151,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,650 – $235,240110
7Registered Nurses$138,820
Bachelor's degree
$100,560 – $199,5402,180
8Electrical Engineers$136,240
Bachelor's degree
$80,020 – $205,050100
9Aerospace Engineers$135,490
Bachelor's degree
$103,170 – $205,00040
10Software Developers$135,020
Bachelor's degree
$74,770 – $204,240520
11Database Administrators$130,780
Bachelor's degree
$56,600 – $158,30060
12Environmental Engineers$129,780
Bachelor's degree
$73,850 – $164,43060
13Dental Hygienists$125,670
Associate's degree
$106,190 – $147,480220
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$125,090
Associate's degree
$64,500 – $152,49040
15Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$125,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,850 – $161,93070
16Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$117,420
Bachelor's degree
$65,330 – $142,30050
17Data Scientists$114,830
Bachelor's degree
$73,030 – $212,26060
18Computer Programmers$114,110
Bachelor's degree
$70,480 – $164,27090
19Respiratory Therapists$112,430
Associate's degree
$78,190 – $131,01090
20Civil Engineers$110,210
Bachelor's degree
$75,580 – $163,890720
21Occupational Therapists$110,170
Master's degree
$80,070 – $150,120100
22Urban and Regional Planners$109,920
Master's degree
$76,740 – $136,270100
23Project Management Specialists$108,730
Bachelor's degree
$67,500 – $171,500640
24Special Education Teachers, All Other$106,510
Bachelor's degree
$65,880 – $122,60050
25Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$105,810
Bachelor's degree
$68,520 – $142,560210
26Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$104,570
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $148,87050
27Computer Systems Analysts$104,260
Bachelor's degree
$69,290 – $162,080180
28Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$103,670
Associate's degree
$63,340 – $134,02080
29Financial and Investment Analysts$102,970
Bachelor's degree
$65,150 – $131,740120
30Mechanical Engineers$102,270
Bachelor's degree
$74,260 – $150,760140
31Physical Therapists$101,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,720 – $150,680190
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$101,560
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $142,13070
33Industrial Engineers$100,380
Bachelor's degree
$65,280 – $154,680110
34Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$63,060 – $127,300410
35Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$99,330
Master's degree
$58,320 – $130,390390
36Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$97,620
Bachelor's degree
$61,800 – $125,9201,140
37Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$97,260
Bachelor's degree
$61,640 – $117,650130
38Engineers, All Other$97,210
Bachelor's degree
$62,060 – $146,020160
39Network and Computer Systems Administrators$95,550
Bachelor's degree
$66,680 – $152,600160
40Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$92,640
Bachelor's degree
$71,000 – $128,62040
41Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$92,140
Master's degree
$55,130 – $142,630110
42Counselors, All Other$91,940
Master's degree
$38,060 – $91,940100
43Logisticians$91,240
Bachelor's degree
$54,320 – $168,480100
44Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$90,870
Bachelor's degree
$61,140 – $123,110310
45Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$90,720
Associate's degree
$50,050 – $110,80040
46Biological Scientists, All Other$90,640
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $178,51060
47Accountants and Auditors$88,160
Bachelor's degree
$59,940 – $133,180860
48Chemists$86,060
Bachelor's degree
$57,530 – $127,97040
49Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$85,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,600 – $95,320110
50Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$84,120
Associate's degree
$52,000 – $115,11090

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$175,780	$83,130 – $272,170	290
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$172,860	$132,870 – $202,810	240
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,630	$95,990 – $323,130	100
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$162,950	$132,740 – $210,610	140
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$162,790	$126,750 – $192,770	100
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$151,990	$63,650 – $235,240	110
7	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$138,820	$100,560 – $199,540	2,180
8	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$136,240	$80,020 – $205,050	100
9	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$135,490	$103,170 – $205,000	40
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$135,020	$74,770 – $204,240	520
11	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$130,780	$56,600 – $158,300	60
12	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,780	$73,850 – $164,430	60
13	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$125,670	$106,190 – $147,480	220
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$125,090	$64,500 – $152,490	40
15	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$125,070	$94,850 – $161,930	70
16	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$117,420	$65,330 – $142,300	50
17	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$114,830	$73,030 – $212,260	60
18	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$114,110	$70,480 – $164,270	90
19	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$112,430	$78,190 – $131,010	90
20	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,210	$75,580 – $163,890	720
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$110,170	$80,070 – $150,120	100
22	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$109,920	$76,740 – $136,270	100
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$108,730	$67,500 – $171,500	640
24	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,510	$65,880 – $122,600	50
25	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$105,810	$68,520 – $142,560	210
26	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$104,570	$62,060 – $148,870	50
27	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,260	$69,290 – $162,080	180
28	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$103,670	$63,340 – $134,020	80
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,970	$65,150 – $131,740	120
30	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,270	$74,260 – $150,760	140
31	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,860	$77,720 – $150,680	190
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,560	$63,130 – $142,130	70
33	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,380	$65,280 – $154,680	110
34	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$99,560	$63,060 – $127,300	410
35	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$99,330	$58,320 – $130,390	390
36	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$97,620	$61,800 – $125,920	1,140
37	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,260	$61,640 – $117,650	130
38	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,210	$62,060 – $146,020	160
39	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$95,550	$66,680 – $152,600	160
40	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,640	$71,000 – $128,620	40
41	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$92,140	$55,130 – $142,630	110
42	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$91,940	$38,060 – $91,940	100
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$91,240	$54,320 – $168,480	100
44	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$90,870	$61,140 – $123,110	310
45	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$90,720	$50,050 – $110,800	40
46	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,640	$49,790 – $178,510	60
47	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$88,160	$59,940 – $133,180	860
48	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$86,060	$57,530 – $127,970	40
49	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,340	$47,600 – $95,320	110
50	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$84,120	$52,000 – $115,110	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

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