6AM City In-house

San Diego Business 101

Top industries and employers in the San Diego metro area
More than 3.286 million people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to San Diego County’s $240 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the heaviest hitters in America’s Finest City?

Consider this San Diego Business 101 — your guide to our region’s 7 key industries and 10 major employers.

Note: When we say San Diego metro area, that refers to all areas in the county’s five districts.

East Village Construction

Construction — our No. 6 industry.

Photo via Michael Beausoleil + SDtoday

🔑 The key industries

There are seven key industries — all with 100,000+ employees — that represent ~67.5% of the San Diego metro area’s economy, based on data from the US Census Bureau. Here are the top two, with the remainder on our website.

Health care + social assistance
13.6% or 208,979 employees
As a county with millions of people, locals look to our healthcare system for support. Many services are provided outside clinical settings to improve community wellbeing and help residents lead healthy lives.

Professional, scientific + technical services
12% or 183,757 employees
This sector encompasses many of the jobs that help San Diego get recognized for advancing our body of knowledge and improving productivity. Many companies fall into this category — from the engineers at Sempra Energy to the developers at Qualcomm.

Geisel Library at UC San Diego

Geisel Library, a landmark on the UC San Diego campus in La Jolla.

Image via Erik Jepsen + UC San Diego

💼 The major players

Now that we’ve established the major industries, we bet you’re curious for specific names. Whether you’re job hunting (or just “casually prospecting”), here are three of our top employers — with the full top 10 on our website.

UC San Diego
35,802 employees | Education + health care | Search jobs
As one of the major universities + healthcare systems in our county, UC San Diego employs thousands of locals. Opportunities range from medical services, to research, to administrative specialties.

Sharp Healthcare
19,468 employees | Health care | Search jobs
As a local healthcare leader, Sharp offers medical services including urgent care + specialized treatments. Open positions range from doctors, healthcare administration, and insurance specialists.

County of San Diego
17,954 employees | Government | Search jobs
The County of San Diego is a local government employer with positions spanning many fields that help our region go ‘round. This includes employment in mental health services, correctional facilities, and infrastructure maintenance.

This information is derived from the most recent data published by the San Diego County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.
MORE MAJOR PLAYERS + EMPLOYERS
Test your business knowledge: Which company employs the most people globally?

A. Amazon
B. McDonalds
C. Walmart
D. Starbucks
GET TO WORK
6AM City In-house

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Monday, Nov. 21
  • Writers’ Round SD | Monday, Nov. 21 | 6 p.m. | The Ould Sod, 3373 Adams Ave, San Diego | Free | A supportive jam sesh for local songwriters + music enthusiasts.
  • Blues Jam Night | Monday, Nov. 21 | 6-10 p.m. | Aztec Brewing Company, 2330 La Mirada Dr #300, Vista | Free | Swing along to the rhythm + blues.
Tuesday, Nov. 22
  • Escondido Farmers Market | Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 2:30-6 p.m. | Heritage Garden Park, Between Grand Ave. + Juniper St., San Diego | Free | Buy small, local, and fresh at this weekly North County market.
  • A Christmas Carol | Tuesday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Dec. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego | $27-$48 | Don’t be a Scrooge — check out this Charles Dickens classic.
  • Supersuckers + Volk | Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego | $15 | The country rock act performs live.
  • Something Funky | Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 8:30-11 p.m. | The Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., San Diego | Free | Sip cocktails and enjoy this funk, jazz + soul boogaloo.
Wednesday, Nov. 23
  • Family Fun DIY Wood Workshop | Wednesday, Nov. 23 | 6-9 p.m. | AR Workshop Coronado, 1033 B Ave., Ste. 101, Coronado | $45-$95 | Make a wood project of your choosing and take it home to display.
  • Rumours of Fleetwood Mac: Live in Concert 2022 | Wednesday, Nov. 23 | 8 p.m. | Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., San Diego | $30-$40 | This tribute band performs the show of your “Dreams.”
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
KEEP THE EVENTS COMING

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The Ridge wallet on a rocky, dark background.
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Weather
  • 73º | Mostly cloudy | 1% chance of rain
Sunrise + Sunset
  • Rise: 6:24 a.m.
  • Set: 4:44 p.m.
Tide
  • Low: 12:39 a.m. + 1:44 p.m.
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  • Water Temperature: 59º
Civic
  • San Diego City Council voted to ban styrofoam items like food containers, utensils + toys — effective April 1, 2023 — though businesses earning under $500,000 annually will have a 12-month exemption. In 2019, a similar ordinance was passed, but a lawsuit prevented it from being enforced. 🥡 (sdnews.com)
Open
  • Mission Bay’s Tecolote Shores North park reopened after being closed for upgrades for 16 months, and city officials swung by for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. The $3.8 million renovations include playground + fitness equipment, ADA-compliant pathways, and enhanced landscaping. 🌳 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
  • Happy 21st to In-N-Out Burger. The SoCal-based chain opened a new store in the neighborhood of Palm City, expected to serve the surrounding communities. The location at 1093 Outer Rd. is the eighth in San Diego City limits, and lucky number 21 in the county. 🍔 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Real Estate
  • Fewer single-family homes are being sold in San Diego County. According to the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors, 1,188 single-family homes were purchased in October — decreasing 19.8% from September and 42.8% compared to October 2021. 🏡 (Times of San Diego)
Community
  • New community signs in Ramona are in the works. Metal artist Leslie Souza drafted three designs incorporating vineyard themes, and the project is now in the funding stage. When completed, two signs will be along State Route 78 at the Julian + Escondido entrances while the other will be over 10th Street. 🪧 (Ramona Sentinel)
Travel
Cause
  • Padres Joe Musgrove and Tim Hill helped stuff 1,000+ turkeys into the hands of families in National City. Recipients were from 10 schools in the National School District, and the effort was organized by the MLB team and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. 🦃 (Fox 5)
Learn
  • Babbel — a premium, subscription-based language learning platform — is offering SDtoday readers up to 55% off subscriptions to learn a new language (in just three weeks). Choose from 14 languages and learn through bite-sized, 10-minute sessions that focus on everyday phrases + relevant topics. 🗺️ *
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Sending you a message

Liberty Station adds new postcard mural
We see you, Liberty Station — and you’ve probably seen the “Greetings from US Naval Training Station” mural before. Next time you’re there, take a look behind the artwork and you’ll find a message:

Liberty Station postcard mural gif

Both sides of the postcard.

Photos via @Liberty_Station

“Anchors away!
Spending the day at Liberty Station,
Wish you were here!”

Now, the public art display at North Promenade is truly postcard-ready, all you need to do is snap a picture + make your non-local friends jealous. The update comes from the artist duo Greetings Tour, the same couple who originally painted the ”Greetings” mural in 2016.

⚓ 2825 Dewey Rd.

Pro tip: Make a trip out of it and check out the new display while you “Salute the Season” at Liberty Station — the Rady Children’s Ice Rink is already open.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Michael.

Editor’s pick: Good morning, San Diego. It’s Thanksgiving week, but if you’re like me, you still have a long list of groceries to purchase. I love stopping at Charlie’s Best Bread in Pacific Beach before I (literally) break bread with friends + family. It sells amazing dinner rolls that always impress, and I treat myself by getting a scone to share — they’re as big as my face.

And about that quiz, Walmart is the largest employer globally.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Deck your calendars with 60 winter events.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Monica Garske, Michael Beausoleil, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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