SOC 11-9121

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CA
COL Index: 154.68 (+54.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 62.5% Realized
$111,611 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $178,530 $85.83/hr
Effective Tax Drag 31.48% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$56,207 $2,161.80/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $85.83 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$10,712/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,571/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$29,010
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$11,069
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,589
California Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$11,218
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Statutory Payroll Assessment
-$2,321
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$111,611 ($4,292.75 / check)
Category 2 of 6

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA Natural Sciences Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $178,530
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $129k 25th $165k Median: $178,530 50th (Median) $179k 75th $217k 90th $313k You: $178,530
10th (Entry) $128,660 $61.86/hr
25th (Junior) $164,740 $79.20/hr
50th (Median) $178,530 $85.83/hr
75th (Senior) $217,310 $104.48/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $312,870 $150.42/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
1
Research ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$85,091$40.91/hr · 2-5 Years
2
Senior ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$127,476$61.29/hr · 5-9 Years
3
Natural Sciences ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$178,509$85.82/hr · 9-14 Years
4
Director of ResearchOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$236,481$113.69/hr · 14-20 Years
5
VP of R&D / Chief ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$338,227$162.61/hr · 20+ Years
Scaled to the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA medianView National Natural Sciences Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Project Management Specialists-$64,900/yr
National median: $102,320
Skill overlap: 77%View Salary
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers-$57,850/yr
National median: $109,370
Skill overlap: 77%
Biological Technicians-$109,710/yr
National median: $57,510
Skill overlap: 63%
Data Scientists-$46,990/yr
National median: $120,230
Skill overlap: 62%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
22% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,079/month Requires minimum annual gross of $83,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,720/month Requires minimum annual gross of $108,800
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $34.21/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $32.63/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$178,530-$56,207$111,611$4,292.75
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$212,004-$68,084$131,200$5,046.17
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$245,479-$80,814$149,936$5,766.79
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$278,953-$95,031$167,185$6,430.20
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$312,428-$109,889$183,793$7,068.96
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and California tax codes.

Market Baseline
$178,530/yr
$85.83/hr · SOC 11-9121
Statutory Tax Drag
31.48% Effective
-$56,207 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
22% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$7,222/mo
Post-$2,079/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-9121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA: Market Snapshot

Natural Sciences Managers roles in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA report a median annual wage of $178,530, 6.8% above the national median of $167,220. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $128,660 to $312,870, and HUD’s $2,079 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 14.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $34.21 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Natural Sciences Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$291,000+63.0%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$263,810+47.8%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$225,230+26.2%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$220,120+23.3%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$217,480+21.8%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$215,860+20.9%
Worcester, MA$212,600+19.1%
Midland, MI$212,130+18.8%
New Haven, CT$210,670+18.0%
Boulder, CO$210,340+17.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$213,070$102.44/hr
Chief Executives$190,020$91.36/hr
Training and Development Managers$179,170$86.14/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,910$80.73/hr
Industrial Production Managers$166,030$79.82/hr
Nurse Practitioner$162,950$78.34/hr
Physician Assistant$162,790$78.26/hr
Marketing Managers$160,490$77.16/hr
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$152,560$73.35/hr
Fundraising Managers$151,530$72.85/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 210 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA Overview

Natural Sciences Managers median pay in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is $178,530 a year ($85.83/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?

The median annual wage is $178,530 ($85.83 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $128,660 and $312,870. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Natural Sciences Managers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA after taxes?

On the median wage of $178,530, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $118,756 a year ($9,896 a month) after $59,774 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 33.48%, using 2026 tax rules.