Santa Barbara Employment

Employment and Industries in the Santa Barbara, California Area

Santa Barbara has a diverse economy powered by tourism, education, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government and agriculture. The service sector provides approximately 35% of the jobs in Santa Barbara. Education has a significant role in the region's employment due to the area's five institutions of higher learning. In addition, many of the largest employers in the Santa Barbara area are located in the nearby town of Goleta.

The Santa Barbara region also includes a prominent high-tech research and development sector which includes defense and aerospace. According to the Santa Barbara Technology Group, at least 500 high-tech companies started in the Santa Barbara area. The Santa Barbara Technology Group also states that the tech industry is the highest paying and fastest growing component of the local economy. Numerous investors including American Express Financial, Microsoft Corp and Chase Capital Partners have put millions of dollars in venture capital into the Santa Barbara area's high-tech research and development sector.

Some of the most popular occupations in the Santa Barbara area where the majority of the employees have college degrees include teachers, registered nurses, wholesale and manufacturing representatives, computer software engineers, systems software; management analysts, financial managers, computer programmers, computer software engineers, applications; social and human services assistants and sales managers.

Shown below are the major employers in the Santa Barbara area:

  • Cottage Health System - Non-profit organization
  • Doubletree - Fess Parker's Resort - Hotels & Motels
  • Four Seasons Resort -Biltmore - Hotels & Motels
  • Jordanos Inc - Grocers - Wholesale
  • Mission Linen Supply Inc - Linen Supply Service
  • Montecito FM Inc - Radio Stations & broadcasting companies
  • Santa Barbara City CLG - Universities/Academic
  • Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital - Hospitals
  • Santa Barbara Sheriff's Dept - Sheriff
  • University of California - Santa Barbara - Education
  • Intuitive Surgical
  • Calient Networks
  • InTouch Technologies
  • Inogen
  • Infogenysis
  • Superconductor Technologies
  • Occam Networks
  • Wyatt Technology
  • Bargain Network Inc
  • Bacara Resort and Spa
  • Citrix Online
  • Deverux Foundation

Noteworthy information about Santa Barbara: In 2007 the median household income was $57,547. The cost of living index was at 142.1 in 2008 which is very high when compared to the national average of 100. About 40% of the population over the age of 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher.

The major sectors for employment in the Santa Barbara region are:

  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Accommodation and services
  • High-Tech
  • Professional, scientific and technical services
  • Construction
  • Government

Business organizations that offer assistance to Santa Barbara companies include:

The Santa Barbara News-Press offers up-to-date information regarding the business activities in Santa Barbara.

Jobs in Santa Barbara

RankTitleTotal EmployeesLocal Mean Salary (Per Year)Local Mean Salary (Per hour)National Growth % 2014-2024
1All Occupations191670$56,540$27.18100
2Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations24310$31,290$15.048.7
3Office and Administrative Support Occupations21360$45,840$22.0413.75
4Sales and Related Occupations17950$42,000$20.199.5
5Educational Instruction and Library Occupations14860$70,130$33.726
6Transportation and Material Moving Occupations11150$38,480$18.56.7
7Management Occupations11060$123,950$59.596.35
8Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations10020$28,630$13.760.65
9Business and Financial Operations Occupations9120$77,600$37.315.35
10Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse8830$27,330$13.140.3
11Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations8820$109,450$52.625.85
12Healthcare Support Occupations8500$34,810$16.742.85
13Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations8040$33,810$16.253.6
14Construction and Extraction Occupations7980$56,970$27.394.6
15Production Occupations7370$44,390$21.345.6
16Fast Food and Counter Workers5680$28,140$13.532.45
17Cashiers5120$28,050$13.482.2
18Computer and Mathematical Occupations5070$96,560$46.423
19Personal Care and Service Occupations4900$37,050$17.814.65
20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations4850$52,020$25.013.75
21Waiters and Waitresses4730$33,780$16.241.65
22Architecture and Engineering Occupations4460$100,340$48.241.7
23Retail Salespersons4420$31,640$15.212.7
24Home Health and Personal Care Aides4210$29,080$13.980
25Community and Social Service Occupations3640$58,970$28.351.75
26Registered Nurses3180$108,940$52.381.95
27Protective Service Occupations3080$63,480$30.522.2
28General and Operations Managers3060$122,750$59.021.5
29Office Clerks, General2980$39,440$18.961.9
30Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers2790$32,560$15.660.75
31Cooks, Restaurant2720$31,970$15.370.9
32Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks2390$49,580$23.841.05
33Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners2350$33,510$16.111.5
34Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations2340$66,160$31.811.8
35Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive2330$45,680$21.961.4
36Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand2280$35,410$17.021.8
37Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other2090$70,050$33.680.7
38Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners2000$30,540$14.680.9
39Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers1940$111,190$53.460.65
40Food Preparation Workers1860$29,890$14.370.5
41Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations1860$80,900$38.90.8
42Stockers and Order Fillers1780$30,800$14.811.25
43First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers1630$63,950$30.750.95
44Maintenance and Repair Workers, General1620$44,650$21.460.9
45Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products1580$72,490$34.850.85
46Customer Service Representatives1410$40,330$19.391.75
47First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers1390$38,080$18.310.6
48Accountants and Auditors1350$83,840$40.310.9
49First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers1350$44,160$21.230.95
50Receptionists and Information Clerks1350$33,940$16.320.7
51Medical Assistants1300$36,720$17.650.45
52Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel1300$60,510$29.090.7
53Bartenders1260$32,770$15.750.4
54Dishwashers1220$27,360$13.160.3
55Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers1210$27,680$13.310.3
56Nursing Assistants1210$37,180$17.880.95
57Recreation Workers1140$32,540$15.640.3
58Carpenters1130$60,550$29.110.6
59Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers1130$50,900$24.471.2
60Cooks, Fast Food1120$27,300$13.120.3
61Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants1100$42,620$20.490.4
62Light Truck Drivers1040$41,440$19.920.6
63Construction Laborers990$48,210$23.180.9
64Legal Occupations920$104,430$50.210.8
65Packers and Packagers, Hand900$27,940$13.430.4
66Counter and Rental Clerks850$34,600$16.630.3
67Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists850$66,810$32.120.45
68Computer Occupations, All Other840$78,620$37.80.3
69Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators820$35,910$17.260.8
70Financial Managers800$141,210$67.890.4
71Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop800$27,440$13.190.3
72Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks800$29,830$14.340.15
73Painters, Construction and Maintenance790$43,330$20.830.2
74Management Analysts750$81,540$39.20.55
75Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters750$64,170$30.850.3
76Security Guards730$32,270$15.520.7
77Electricians700$57,790$27.780.45
78Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment680$29,150$14.020.3
79Sales Managers670$130,110$62.550.3
80Social and Human Service Assistants670$45,390$21.820.3
81Food Service Managers660$63,020$30.30.2
82Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses660$60,940$29.30.5
83Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers640$106,380$51.150.4
84Personal Service Managers, All Other; Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling; and Managers, All Other620$131,240$63.10.7
85Computer Systems Analysts610$109,550$52.670.4
86Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents600$61,490$29.560.3
87Dental Assistants590$49,180$23.650.2
88Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other590$33,670$16.190
89Amusement and Recreation Attendants580$26,460$12.720.2
90First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers580$87,070$41.860.4
91Human Resources Specialists580$71,450$34.350.4
92Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics570$44,610$21.450.5
93Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants570$70,400$33.840.35
94Aerospace Engineers560$120,100$57.740
95Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors560$56,940$27.380.2
96Passenger Vehicle Drivers, Except Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity560$37,750$18.150.3
97Computer User Support Specialists550$57,880$27.830.4
98Computer and Information Systems Managers550$183,300$88.120.3
99Driver/Sales Workers550$31,650$15.220.3
100Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks540$39,450$18.970.4
Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov
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Additional Details

Santa Barbara Colleges
Santa Barbara colleges and trade schools.

Jobs More Common Near Santa Barbara Than Most Other Cities

* Average job popularity for metro areas = 1.0

TitleMean Local SalaryLocal Jobs
All Occupations$56,540191,670
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations$31,29024,310
Office and Administrative Support Occupations$45,84021,360
Sales and Related Occupations$42,00017,950
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations$70,13014,860
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations$38,48011,150
Management Occupations$123,95011,060
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations$28,63010,020
Business and Financial Operations Occupations$77,6009,120
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$27,3308,830
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations$109,4508,820
Healthcare Support Occupations$34,8108,500
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations$33,8108,040
Construction and Extraction Occupations$56,9707,980
Production Occupations$44,3907,370
Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,1405,680
Cashiers$28,0505,120
Computer and Mathematical Occupations$96,5605,070
Personal Care and Service Occupations$37,0504,900
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations$52,0204,850
Waiters and Waitresses$33,7804,730
Architecture and Engineering Occupations$100,3404,460
Retail Salespersons$31,6404,420
Home Health and Personal Care Aides$29,0804,210
Community and Social Service Occupations$58,9703,640
Registered Nurses$108,9403,180
Protective Service Occupations$63,4803,080
General and Operations Managers$122,7503,060
Office Clerks, General$39,4402,980
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$32,5602,790
Cooks, Restaurant$31,9702,720
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$49,5802,390
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$33,5102,350
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations$66,1602,340
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$45,6802,330
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$35,4102,280
Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other$70,0502,090
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$30,5402,000
Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$111,1901,940
Food Preparation Workers$29,8901,860
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations$80,9001,860
Stockers and Order Fillers$30,8001,780
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$63,9501,630
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$44,6501,620
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,4901,580
Customer Service Representatives$40,3301,410
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$38,0801,390
Accountants and Auditors$83,8401,350
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$44,1601,350
Receptionists and Information Clerks$33,9401,350

Work Paying Relatively Well in the Santa Barbara, California Metro Area (2008 data)

* Average Salary Index for metro areas = 1.0

TitleMean Local SalaryLocal Jobs
All Occupations$56,540191,670
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations$31,29024,310
Office and Administrative Support Occupations$45,84021,360
Sales and Related Occupations$42,00017,950
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations$70,13014,860
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations$38,48011,150
Management Occupations$123,95011,060
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations$28,63010,020
Business and Financial Operations Occupations$77,6009,120
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$27,3308,830
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations$109,4508,820
Healthcare Support Occupations$34,8108,500
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations$33,8108,040
Construction and Extraction Occupations$56,9707,980
Production Occupations$44,3907,370
Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,1405,680
Cashiers$28,0505,120
Computer and Mathematical Occupations$96,5605,070
Personal Care and Service Occupations$37,0504,900
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations$52,0204,850
Waiters and Waitresses$33,7804,730
Architecture and Engineering Occupations$100,3404,460
Retail Salespersons$31,6404,420
Home Health and Personal Care Aides$29,0804,210
Community and Social Service Occupations$58,9703,640
Registered Nurses$108,9403,180
Protective Service Occupations$63,4803,080
General and Operations Managers$122,7503,060
Office Clerks, General$39,4402,980
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$32,5602,790
Cooks, Restaurant$31,9702,720
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$49,5802,390
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$33,5102,350
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations$66,1602,340
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$45,6802,330
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$35,4102,280
Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other$70,0502,090
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$30,5402,000
Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$111,1901,940
Food Preparation Workers$29,8901,860
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations$80,9001,860
Stockers and Order Fillers$30,8001,780
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$63,9501,630
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$44,6501,620
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,4901,580
Customer Service Representatives$40,3301,410
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$38,0801,390
Accountants and Auditors$83,8401,350
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$44,1601,350
Receptionists and Information Clerks$33,9401,350

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