California job market
Jobs in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco and the wider Bay Area are home to many of the world's best-known software, AI and internet companies, plus a deep venture-backed startup ecosystem. Beyond tech, the city has major employers in finance, biotech and life sciences, professional services, healthcare, tourism and city government, and Oakland and the East Bay add logistics, healthcare and public sector jobs. AI companies have been among the most active hirers in recent years. Living costs are among the highest in the country, so evaluate total compensation, including equity, against housing. California requires pay scales in job postings from employers with 15 or more employees.
Updated
Latest job openings in San Francisco, CA
Major industries in the San Francisco area
Long-standing employers by sector. Hiring in each changes over time.
- Software and AI
- Startups and venture-backed companies
- Biotech and life sciences
- Finance
- Professional services
- Healthcare
- Tourism and hospitality
- Government
Job search tips for San Francisco
- Ask how equity is valued and when it vests; it can be a large share of startup offers.
- Search Oakland, South San Francisco and the Peninsula as well as the city.
- Confirm whether a 'remote' role must be based in this state; many are limited to certain states.
For local pay by occupation, see the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics metro tables. Free in-person help is available at American Job Centers, which you can find through CareerOneStop.
Browse San Francisco jobs by career field
- Healthcare jobs
- Software Engineering jobs
- Data & Analytics jobs
- AI & Machine Learning jobs
- Cybersecurity jobs
- DevOps & Cloud jobs
- Product & Design jobs
- Sales & Marketing jobs
- Finance & Accounting jobs
- Human Resources jobs
- Operations & Logistics jobs
- Customer Support jobs
- Education jobs
- Legal jobs
- Skilled Trades jobs
Watch out for job scams
Real employers never charge you to apply. Walk away if you see any of these:
- You are asked to pay for training, equipment, a background check or an application fee.
- They send a check and ask you to buy equipment from their vendor or send part of it back.
- The 'job' is receiving money into your account, or packages at home, and forwarding them.
- You get an offer without a real phone or video interview, often after a chat-only exchange.
Jobs in San Francisco: frequently asked questions
How do I find jobs in San Francisco, CA?
Use the live San Francisco listings on this page, then check the California state job bank (CareerOneStop's job bank finder links to every state's), USAJOBS for federal roles, and the careers pages of large local employers. Set up alerts so new postings reach you within a day or two.
Where can I find salary data for San Francisco?
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program publishes pay by occupation for metro areas, including the San Francisco area. CareerOneStop's salary finder presents the same data by job title. Compare it with the pay range in the posting.
Other US job markets
Job search guides
Plain-English guides for job seekers in the US.
- Spot job scamsLearn the warning signs of fake job offers in the US: fake check and equipment scams, pay-to-train schemes, reshipping and task scams, and how to report them to the FTC and IC3.
- US resume guideA practical guide to the American resume: one or two pages, no photo, the sections recruiters expect, how applicant tracking systems read it, and how to tailor it to each job.
- Interview preparationPrepare for phone, video and in-person interviews in the US: research the employer, answer common and behavioral questions with the STAR method, ask good questions and follow up.
- Salary negotiationHow to research fair pay in the US, answer salary expectation questions, compare total compensation and negotiate a job offer politely, with sample wording.
Free career tools
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- Career Prompt BuilderBuild AI prompts for resumes, cover letters, interview prep and salary negotiation.
- Job Offer Comparison ToolCompare job offers side by side, including pay and benefits.
- Hourly to Salary CalculatorConvert an hourly wage into weekly, monthly and yearly pay.
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