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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, $109,328 median annual wage, 125 job ads.
  • Project Management Specialists and Business Operations Specialists, All Other:
    • 4,790 projected job openings, $106,816 median annual wage, 61 job ads.
  • Registered Nurses:
    • 3,970 projected job openings, $132,171 median annual wage, 393 job ads.
  • Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
    • 3,810 projected job openings, $158,861 median annual wage, 103 job ads.
  • Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education:
    • 2,680 projected job openings, $99,543 median annual wage, 39 job ads.
 

Middle-Skill Occupations

  • Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks:
    • 4,600 projected job openings, $52,182 median annual wage, 62 job ads.
  • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers:
    • 3,270 projected job openings, $57,852 median annual wage, 74 job ads.
  • Medical Assistants:
    • 3,200 projected job openings, $49,074 median annual wage, 116 job ads.
  • Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary:
    • 2,900 projected job openings, $45,851 median annual wage, 85 job ads.
  • Nursing Assistants:
    • 2,210 projected job openings, $45,688 median annual wage, 32 job ads.
 

Entry-Level Occupations

  • Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse:
    • 37,180 projected job openings, $37,235 median annual wage, 6 job ads.
  • Fast Food and Counter Workers:
    • 17,630 projected job openings, $35,734 median annual wage, 101 job ads.
  • Cashiers:
    • 15,460 projected job openings, $36,054 median annual wage, 100 job ads.
  • Home Health and Personal Care Aides:
    • 14,440 projected job openings, $34,163 median annual wage, 157 job ads.
  • Waiters and Waitresses:
    • 12,020 projected job openings, $35,211 median annual wage, 166 job ads.

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

 

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.

Projected total job openings is the sum of exits, transfers, and numeric change. The Top 10 occupations were identified based on projected total job openings 2020-2030.

Median wages are the estimated 50th percentile of the distribution of 2024 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. Median Annual Wages have been rounded up to $33,280 to reflect state minimum wage laws as of January 1, 2024.

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.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some occupations are no longer being published aggregately and instead were published as separate occupations. 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 5, 2024 - August 3, 2024) reflect job ads postings for the occupations Software Developers (15-1252) and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (15-1253).

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some occupations are no longer being published aggregately and instead were published as separate occupations. The median annual wage for Project Management Specialist and Business Operations Specialists, All Other (13-1198) reflects the wage for the occupation Project Management Specialists (13-1082). The total job ads (June 5, 2024 - August 3, 2024) reflect job ads postings for the occupation Project Management Specialists (13-1082).

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some occupations are no longer being published aggregately and instead were published as separate occupations. The median annual wage for Teacher and Instructors, All Other, Except Substitute Teachers (25-3097) reflects the wage for the occupation Teaching and Instructors, All Other (25-3099). The total job ads (June 5, 2024 - August 3, 2024) 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).

The median annual wage for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (25-2021) in North Coast Regional Planning Unit reflects the wage for the North Coast Region, which is comprised of the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino.

The total job ads (June 5, 2024 - August 3, 2024) 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).

The total job ads (June 5, 2024 - August 3, 2024) 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).