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South Central Coast Region

The South Central Coast region is comprised of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

Top Job Openings 2020-2030

High-Skill Occupations

  • General and Operations Managers:
    • 5,500 projected job openings, $103,500 average annual wage, 118 job advertisements.
  • Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other8:
    • 4,790 projected job openings, $101,219 average annual wage, 32 job advertisements.
  • Registered Nurses:
    • 3,970 projected job openings, $129,405 average annual wage, 409 job advertisements.
  • Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers7:
    • 3,810 projected job openings, $139,386 average annual wage, 73 job advertisements.
  • Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education:
    • 2,680 projected job openings, $84,697 average annual wage, 24 job advertisements.
 

Middle-Skill Occupations

  • Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks:
    • 4,600 projected job openings, $51,565 average annual wage, 78 job advertisements.
  • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers:
    • 3,270 projected job openings, $51,149 average annual wage, 59 job advertisements.
  • Medical Assistants:
    • 3,200 projected job openings, $46,587 average annual wage, 123 job advertisements.
  • Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary9:
    • 2,900 projected job openings, $40,521 average annual wage, 80 job advertisements.
  • Nursing Assistants:
    • 2,210 projected job openings, $40,247 average annual wage, 56 job advertisements.
 

Entry-Level Occupations

  • Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse:
    • 37,180 projected job openings, $34,904 average annual wage, 3 job advertisements.
  • Fast Food and Counter Workers:
    • 17,630 projected job openings, $34,967 average annual wage, 203 job advertisements.
  • Cashiers:
    • 15,460 projected job openings, $34,302 average annual wage, 90 job advertisements.
  • Home Health and Personal Care Aides6:
    • 14,440 projected job openings, $32,610 average annual wage, 172 job advertisements.
  • Waiters and Waitresses:
    • 12,020 projected job openings, $32,610 average annual wage, 152 job advertisements.

An image of the California South Central Coast region on a map of California

 

[1] The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is a federal statistical standard used by federal and state agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
[2] To improve data quality, the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program has aggregated some 2018 SOC detailed occupations into SOC broad occupations or OEWS-specific combinations.
[3] Total job openings is the sum of exits, transfers, and numeric change. The Top 5 occupations were identified based on projected total job openings 2020-2030.
[4] Median wages are the estimated 50th percentile of the distribution of 2023 first quarter wages. 50 percent of workers in an occupation earn wages below, and 50 percent earn wages above the median wage. Wages do not include self-employed or unpaid family workers.
[5] Online job ads data are taken from the Lightcast data series. The Lightcast data series compiles, analyzes, and categorizes job advertisements from numerous online job boards.
[6] The total job ads (June 11, 2023 - August 9, 2023) for Home Health and Personal Care Aides (31-1120) reflects job ads postings for the occupations Home Health Aides (31-1121) and Personal Care Aides (31-1122).
[7] The median annual wage for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (15-1256) reflects the wage for the occupation Software Developers (15-1252). The total job ads (June 11, 2023 - August 9, 2023) reflect job ads postings for the occupations Software Developers (15-1252) and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (15-1253).
[8] The median annual wage for Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other (13-1198) reflects the wage for the occupation Project Management Specialists (13-1082). The total job ads (June 11, 2023 - August 9, 2023) reflect job ads postings for the occupation Project Management Specialists (13-1082).
[9] The total job ads (June 11, 2023 - August 9, 2023) for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary (25-9045) reflects job ads postings for the occupations Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education (25-9042); Teaching Assistants, Special Education (25-9043); and Teaching Assistants, All Other (25-9049).
[10] The median annual wage for Teachers and Instructors, All Other, Except Substitute Teachers (25-3097) reflects the wage for the occupation Teachers and Instructors, All Other (25-3099). The total job ads (June 11, 2023 - August 9, 2023) for Teachers and Instructors, All Other, Except Substitute Teachers (25-3097) reflects job ads postings for the occupations Tutors (25-3041) and Teachers and Instructors, All Other (25-3099).