Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Software Developers prevailing wage in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Short answer
For software developers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $44.37 an hour at Level 1 ($92,290 a year) to $78.24 an hour at Level 4 ($162,739 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $55.66 ranks 40 of 530 areas and is 23% above the median area ($45.35).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $44.37 | $92,290 | $7,691 | $1,775 |
| Level 2 | $55.66 | $115,773 | $9,648 | $2,226 |
| Level 3 | $66.95 | $139,256 | $11,605 | $2,678 |
| Level 4 | $78.24 | $162,739 | $13,562 | $3,130 |
| Published average | $67.06 | $139,485 | $11,624 | $2,682 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$55.66/hr
Prevailing wage for software developers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Cost with payroll costs
$59.92/hr
$55.66 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$70.49/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for software developers has a median of $45.35 an hour. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is at $55.66, which is 23% above that median and ranks 40 of 530. Inside CA, it ranks 15 of 28 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 76% ($33.87 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $70,449 a year.
Other CA areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $71.81 | $90.26 | $127.17 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65.24 | $77.71 | $102.65 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $47.11 | $65.57 | $102.49 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $51.26 | $64.25 | $90.23 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $49.42 | $62.59 | $88.93 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $49.15 | $62.34 | $88.73 |
Reading the four levels
In San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, moving a software developers role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $11.29 an hour (25%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $11.29 (20%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $11.29 (17%). The steps are fairly even, so the level filed moves the minimum pay by a similar amount at each rung. At Level 1 the minimum is $7,691 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $13,562.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $55.66
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose software developers Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $55.64 | -$0.02 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $55.64 | -$0.02 |
| Yuba City, CA | $55.75 | +$0.09 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $55.76 | +$0.10 |
| Napa, CA | $55.53 | -$0.13 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $55.48 | -$0.18 |
CA and this occupation
CA has 28 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for software developers is $55.70 an hour, and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA is below it. The highest area in CA is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $90.26, and the lowest is Redding, CA at $47.07.
Among IT occupations here
In San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA, software developers ranks 3 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is database architects at $60.99 an hour and the lowest is web developers at $24.72.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $115,773 a year, or $9,648 a month gross, for work in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $55.66 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $37.56 | $45.24 | $60.61 |
| Information Security Analysts | $36.96 | $47.99 | $70.04 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $42.70 | $59.02 | $91.66 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $25.31 | $31.23 | $43.07 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $26.15 | $31.30 | $41.61 |
| Computer Network Architects | $34.28 | $43.09 | $60.70 |
| Database Administrators | $28.29 | $38.42 | $58.67 |
| Database Architects | $42.99 | $60.99 | $96.99 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $33.21 | $41.35 | $57.62 |
| Computer Programmers | $33.52 | $45.82 | $70.43 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $31.02 | $40.90 | $60.66 |
| Web Developers | $16.00 | $24.72 | $42.16 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $27.27 | $37.34 | $57.49 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $30.86 | $42.43 | $65.57 |
| Data Scientists | $36.71 | $48.81 | $73.00 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for software developers in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
$44.37, $55.66, $66.95 and $78.24 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $67.06, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA?
$33.87 more an hour, or $70,449 more a year (76% above Level 1).
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