CA Sea Change Atlas
CA Sea Change Atlas
County Profiles San Luis Obispo County
Snapshot 2026-09-24 Data as of 2026-09-24

Marine economy · San Luis Obispo County, CA

Marine economy

Businesses that are dependent on marine resources are particularly vulnerable to coastal hazards. (Note: “Total coastal economy” refers to all economic activity in the shoreline counties and is covered in the total economy section of this page.)

This is the 2026-09-24 snapshot. See the current profile.

In this profile

  1. If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Protect It 01
  2. Business Diversity 02
  3. Wages 03
  4. Total Jobs 04
  5. Digging Deeper 05
  6. About this data 06

If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Protect It

8.0%

of total employment in San Luis Obispo County is in the marine economy.

Establishments (2025 figure)
623
Jobs (2025 figure)
9,718
Wages (2025 figure)
$340.34M
GDP (2024 figure)
$705.59M

2025 figures. 2024 figures.

Sources BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages) (2025) BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California (2024) Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes (2023)

Business Diversity

Understanding the types and amounts of businesses in the marine economy will inform community planning and management initiatives. This graphic highlights the six sectors that make up the marine economy.

94.8%

of San Luis Obispo County’s marine economy workforce works in Tourism and recreation, its largest sector by employment.

Share of the county total, by sector.

Establishments (2025 figure), by sector: Living resources 1.8%, Marine construction 0.8%, Marine transportation 2.2%, Offshore mineral resources 1.0%, Ship and boat building 0.3%, Tourism and recreation 93.9%. Wages (2025 figure), by sector: Living resources 1.4% (estimated), Marine construction 5.3%, Marine transportation 3.1%, Offshore mineral resources 1.2% (estimated), Ship and boat building 0.2% (estimated), Tourism and recreation 88.8%. Employment (2025 figure), by sector: Living resources 1.0% (estimated), Marine construction 1.4%, Marine transportation 2.2%, Offshore mineral resources 0.5% (estimated), Ship and boat building 0.1% (estimated), Tourism and recreation 94.8%. GDP (2024 figure), by sector: Living resources 1.7% (estimated), Marine construction 5.7%, Marine transportation 1.7% (estimated), Offshore mineral resources 2.9% (estimated), Ship and boat building 0.1% (estimated), Tourism and recreation 87.8%. Establishments 93.9% Wages 88.8% Employment 94.8% GDP 87.8%

Share of the county total, by sector: data table

CategoryLiving resourcesMarine constructionMarine transportationOffshore mineral resourcesShip and boat buildingTourism and recreation
Establishments (2025 figure)1151462585
Wages (2025 figure)≈ $4.6 million$18.0 million$10.6 million≈ $4.2 million≈ $573,148$302.3 million
Employment (2025 figure)≈ 102135213≈ 47≈ 119,210
GDP (2024 figure)≈ $12.0 million$40.4 million≈ $11.7 million≈ $20.7 million≈ $947,002$619.9 million

2025 figures. 2024 figures.The approximately-equals sign and hatched segments are estimates.

Sources BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages) (2025) BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California (2024) Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes (2023)

Wages

Understanding wage vulnerability helps leaders better understand the long and short-term impact of coastal storms, economic downturns, etc. Lower wage sectors are usually affected the most.

Tourism and recreation has the lowest average wage per job in San Luis Obispo County.

Average wage per job, by sector.

Living resources: County ≈ $41,745, Coastal California $64,138, All Coastal States $59,563. Marine construction: County $147,266, Coastal California $135,639, All Coastal States $102,260. Marine transportation: County ≈ $49,160, Coastal California $93,343, All Coastal States $72,991. Offshore mineral resources: County ≈ $89,125, Coastal California $134,731, All Coastal States $193,706. Ship and boat building: County ≈ $51,642, Coastal California $89,401, All Coastal States $82,170. Tourism and recreation: County $31,087, Coastal California $37,578, All Coastal States $35,063. $0 $50k $100k $150k $200k Living resources Marine construction Marine transportation Offshore mineralresources Ship and boat building Tourism and recreation

Average wage per job, by sector: data table

CategoryCountyCoastal CaliforniaAll Coastal States
Living resources≈ $41,745$64,138$59,563
Marine construction$147,266$135,639$102,260
Marine transportation≈ $49,160$93,343$72,991
Offshore mineral resources≈ $89,125$134,731$193,706
Ship and boat building≈ $51,642$89,401$82,170
Tourism and recreation$31,087$37,578$35,063

All Coastal States means the coastal portions of 30 states, not the whole country.

The approximately-equals sign and dashed rings are estimates.

Sources BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages), wages comparison year (2024) NOAA Open ENOW (California and All Coastal States) (2024) Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes (2023)

Total Jobs

Many economic reports don't include the self-employed in their job numbers, yet this group can play an important role in the local economy. Most commercial fishermen, for instance, are self-employed.

122

tourism and recreation workers in San Luis Obispo County are self-employed, more than any other sector.

Employed workers, 2025
9,718
Self-employed workers, 2021
359
Sources BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages) (2025) Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes (2023) NOAA ENOW self-employed workers (2021)

Digging Deeper

Go further with San Luis Obispo County's marine economy in the atlas's other tools.

See San Luis Obispo County on the map

Opens the map on the county, highlighted.

The map shows current data, not this snapshot's.

Compare the flood and sea level rise resources

Explore descriptions fo the different resources available, including those listed in the OPC guidance.

About this data

Data, methods and citation

Snapshot
2026-09-24 · all snapshots
Methodology
Version 1 · what changed

Report a problem with these figures

Some figures are estimated with NOAA's Open ENOW method, and some are withheld. How estimates are made · Why figures are withheld

Recommended citation

California Sea Change Atlas. (2026, September 24). San Luis Obispo County coastal county profile: Marine economy. https://seachangeatlas.org/county-profiles/county/san-luis-obispo/2026-09-24/marine-economy/

SourcePeriod coveredRetrieved
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages)20252026-10-01
BEA GDP by state and industry (SAGDP2), California20242026-10-01
Census ZIP Code Business Patterns and shoreline-adjacent ZIP codes20232026-10-01
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (annual averages), wages comparison year20242026-10-01
NOAA Open ENOW (California and All Coastal States)20242026-10-01
NOAA ENOW self-employed workers20212026-10-01