San Luis Obispo County, CA jobs, unemployment and layoffs

Independent page. Not from or affiliated with the State of California.
Looking for work in California? See where you stand.
Not sure you match what employers here are hiring for? Get a free read on your fit, the jobs open near you and a plan for the weeks ahead.
Show me jobs near meSan Luis Obispo County economy
4.6%
unemployment, Sep 2026
4.7% the month before
133,280
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
281,486
people in San Luis Obispo County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$93,398
median household income
Source: Census ACS
42%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where San Luis Obispo County ranks
Where San Luis Obispo County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #16Best county job markets for job seekers in the West Coast50 / 100 · of 34
- #22Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the West Coast2 per 100 · of 35
- #25Fastest-growing job markets in the West Coast+1.6% · of 59
San Luis Obispo County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 1.6% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 0.0% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 4.6%, down 0.1 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+1,983 jobs), hotels & food (+572 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: retail (−405 jobs), private education (−368 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in San Luis Obispo County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Layoffs hit KSBY in SLO as parent company downsizes nationwideSan Luis Obispo Tribune on MSN · Nov 10, 2026
Learn and get funded in San Luis Obispo County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
San Luis Obispo County layoffs
1
Layoff notices, last 12 months
82
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventana GrillTakes effect Sep 18, 2026 | San Luis Obispo County | 82 | Closure Temporary | State record |
Employers hiring most in San Luis Obispo County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Zone 5 Technologies23 open roles
- BKF Engineers4 open roles
- Entegris4 open roles
- Suffolk Construction Company4 open roles
- Adventist Health2 open roles
- Confidential2 open roles
- Inspired Flight Technologies2 open roles
- Memorial Medical Center2 open roles
- Pacific Gas & Electric2 open roles
- Rantec Power Systems2 open roles
Largest employers headquartered in San Luis Obispo County
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo1,001–5,000 employees
Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.
Colleges in San Luis Obispo County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | Public 4-year | 20,000+ |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving San Luis Obispo County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in California? How to file for unemployment in California (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Workforce Development Board of San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo
SLO Cal Career-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo · Comprehensive · 805-439-2557
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Cities in San Luis Obispo County
Other California counties
Laid off or looking for work in San Luis Obispo County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from California’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. California unemployment benefits and severance rules.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Job seekers in San Luis Obispo County looking to you for help, or openings you cannot fill?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers in San Luis Obispo County.