Top 10 Best Jobs in San Diego for 2025

This Center for Research + Evaluation (CR+E) report highlights the best jobs in San Diego for 2025 based on key factors like five-year job growth, earning potential, job availability and quality metrics, and the importance of each career to the region. The top San Diego careers were grouped into 10 major job categories that are growing fast and offer good pay.

How These Top Careers Were Selected

CR+E focused on high-demand jobs that don't require a college degree or years of on-the-job experience. In fact, nearly 60% of the roles listed need only a high school diploma or less—making them great options for career changers, recent grads, or anyone looking for a fresh start.

Job Turnover Rate

This metric is frequently considered a proxy for worker satisfaction or the quality of work conditions. All occupational groups included here had turnover rates below the 52% average across all occupations in San Diego.

5-Year Growth Rate and Total Number of Jobs 

These charts provide insight into job trends for a given occupation. If an occupation has shown growth in the number of jobs, this is a positive sign for the occupation and for job availability.

However, even jobs that have not shown strong growth can be big job producers, which is why it's important to look at the recent number of total jobs alongside historic growth. Some occupations that may not have shown recent growth, like Engineers, for example, are competitive for other reasons (e.g., salary, concentration, etc.).

Cost of Living Adjusted Median Annual Earnings 

The following data shows how workers in an occupational category are usually compensated, adjusted for the cost of living in the San Diego area. All occupations but one included here are above the average median income in San Diego.

Employment Concentration

These metrics illustrate the degree to which an occupation is unique to the area compared to the national labor market. For example, life scientists are 2.8 times more concentrated in the San Diego area than in the rest of the nation on average.

Job Categories

Business Operations Specialists

With 85,512 business operations specialists in San Diego in 2024, this occupation is one of the most numerous of the top ten. Workers in this grouping have a median COL-adjusted annual wage of $59,826 ($85,131 not accounting for COL). This occupational category includes positions like Project Management Specialists, Logisticians, Compliance Officers, and Insurance Appraisers.

Extended Studies Business & Leadership area offers Project Management & Lean Six Sigma programs and certificates, as well as Pharma compliance courses in the Drug Discovery Development program.

Computer Occupations

There were 53,560 computer occupation jobs in San Diego in 2024, with a median of $87,269 when adjusting for COL ($124,183 not accounting for COL). This is one of the highest-paying occupation groups included in the report. This group of workers includes positions like Web and Digital Interface Designers, Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, Software Developers, Computer Programmers, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, Database Architects, and Computer Systems Analysts.

Explore Extended Studies Technology courses and certificates to learn about educational and training options for these careers.

Mathematical Science Occupations

As of 2024, there were relatively fewer jobs in mathematical sciences (3,752), but it has seen a 56% growth rate over the last five years and is one of the higher-paying occupational groups selected at $81,501 ($115,976 not accounting for COL). This would include positions such as Data Scientists or Operations Research Analysts.

Visit the Data Analysis & Mathematics area of interest to discover Extended Studies courses, programs, and certificates that match these career areas.

Engineers

There were 27,130 engineers in San Diego in 2024 earning a median of $86,853 ($123,591 not accounting for COL). This is nearly 1.6 times as many as you'd expect to see nationally, giving San Diego a larger share of these types of workers. Engineers include disciplines in Civil, Chemical, Bio and Biomedical, Agricultural, and Aerospace Engineering.

The UC San Diego Extended Studies Engineering area offers the latest knowledge and skills training in communication, electrical, embedded, mechanical, and systems engineering.

Drafters, Engineering Technicians, and Mapping Technicians

There were 9,274 drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians in San Diego in 2024 making $52,571 ($74,809 not accounting for COL). Compared to engineering jobs, the pay is lower, but educational requirements are also significantly lower, usually only requiring an associate's degree or high school diploma to be eligible. Plus, turnover rate between the two categories is the same at 30% (22% lower than the average across all occupations in San Diego). This group includes occupations such as technologists and technicians in electrical, aerospace, and other engineering disciplines.

Explore Engineering learning opportunities that help career seekers enter and build careers in these industries.

Life Scientists

In 2024, there were 20,633 life scientists in San Diego who earned a median annual wage of $79,250 ($112,773 not accounting for COL). Of those occupations included here, life scientists are the most unique to the region of San Diego, with more than 2.8 times more concentrated here than nationally on average. This group includes occupations like Biological Scientists, Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists, Microbiologists, Soil and Plant Scientists, Food Scientists and Technologists, and Animal Scientists.

Discover a variety of courses and certificate programs in the Sciences that are designed for industry professionals to upskill and advance, as well as those looking to enter careers in the biotechnology and environmental sciences fields.

Physical Scientists

There were 3,857 physical scientists in San Diego in 2024 who made a median annual wage of $70,542 ($100,381 not accounting for COL) and are 1.4 times more highly concentrated in San Diego than the national average. Physical Scientists cover a wide range of fields, including Hydrologists, Geoscientists, Materials Scientists, Chemists, and Atmospheric and Space Scientists.

Extended Studies offers Sciences and Engineering learning options for career professionals and entry-level job seekers.

Preschool, Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Special Education Teachers

There were 32,294 preschool, elementary, middle, secondary, and special education teachers in San Diego in 2024 with a median annual wage of $63,765 ($90,738 not accounting for COL), with one of the lowest turnover rates of occupations highlighted here (27%). This group includes special education and general education teachers across grades as well as Career/Technical Education.

Extended Studies Education courses, certificates, and state-approved credentials are developed through close collaboration with the UC San Diego Department of Education Studies to prepare educators for reflective practice in diverse classrooms.

Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

There were 57,153 healthcare diagnosing/treating practitioners in San Diego in 2024, making a median annual wage of $94,942 ($135,102 not accounting for COL). This occupation, already fairly large, has grown 9% over the last five years and includes Dental Hygienists, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, and Radiation Therapists.

The Healthcare department within Extended Studies is the region's premier professional education network, dedicated to providing cutting-edge learning opportunities for healthcare organizations and individuals.

Health Technologists and Technicians

There were 25,287 health technologists and technicians in San Diego in 2024 earning a median annual wage of $45,164 ($64,269 not accounting for COL). Health technologists and technicians have grown just under diagnostic and treatment occupations, increasing 8% over the last five years. It would include things such as Hearing Aid Specialists, Medical Dosimetrists, Radiologic Technologists and Technicians, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

The Healthcare department’s mission is to equip those in the healthcare field—and those aspiring to join it—with the most up-to-date knowledge and skills.

The Center for Research + Evaluation at UC San Diego Extended Studies

The Center for Research and Evaluation (CR+E) has a mission to promote positive change in the local community and beyond through data-driven research. CR+E partners with nonprofits, community, and academic institutions to support projects centered around workforce development, education, youth services, health, and arts and culture. The expert team employs a wide range of research methodologies and statistical techniques to assist with every stage of research design, from identifying funding opportunities and grant writing to program monitoring and evaluation reporting.

To learn more about the Center’s services and connect with the team, visit the Center for Research + Evaluation, or reach them by phone at 858-822-0747.