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According to the most recent data, San Francisco, California is expected to have a GDP per capita of $96,177 by the end of 2024.
San Francisco is well-known for being one of the most expensive cities in America. Fortunately, the job market in this part of the country is also promising, with many high-paying jobs available to those with the necessary training and experience.
Are you looking for a job in San Francisco? Are you a student who plans to stay in the area after you graduate? In any case, this guide can assist you in making sound career decisions.
The highest-paying jobs in San Francisco and the highest-paying industries in San Francisco are listed below. You’ll also learn about the highest-paying jobs in San Francisco for recent graduates, as well as the degrees required to qualify for those positions.
What Is a Good Salary in San Francisco?
It’s safe to assume that if you land one of the best-paid jobs in San Francisco, you’ll be earning more than the national average. But how does that look in this context? What constitutes “rich” in one of the most expensive cities in the United States?
The average annual salary in San Francisco is $72,813 per year. Those in the 25th percentile earn $57,948 per year or more, while those in the 75th percentile earn $86,630 or less.
The cost of living in San Francisco is extremely high, with a family of four estimated monthly expenses exceeding $4,500 (not including rent) and a single person’s estimated monthly expenses exceeding $1,250. (not including rent).
When rental prices are considered, things become even more expensive, with a 1-bedroom apartment in the city center in San Francisco costing nearly $3,000 on average. These prices are even higher (4.37 percent higher, but still) than those in New York.
Given all of this, it’s safe to say that a high salary is required for those who want to live comfortably in San Francisco. A salary of $100,000 or more per year would most likely be sufficient to cover all of your bills while still leaving you with a healthy amount of disposable income.
What Is the Highest-Paying Job in San Francisco?
What jobs should you look for in San Francisco if you want to make more than $100,000 per year? The first option to consider is the city’s highest-paid position: Psychiatrist.
Psychiatrists in San Francisco earn an average annual salary of $254,480, which is more than three times the salary of the average San Francisco resident. They also have a high entry-level salary ($148,400 on average).
Because psychiatrists perform such important work and spend so much time in school before they can practice, it stands to reason that they are well compensated for their efforts.
If you don’t want to work as a psychiatrist, there are plenty of other opportunities in San Francisco. This list ranks the top 20 highest-paying jobs in San Francisco, from lowest to highest.
20. Human Resources Managers: Average Salary $174,710 per year
19. General Dentists: Average Salary $177,420 per year
18. Nurse Practitioners: Average Salary $177,800 per year
17. Compensation and Benefits Managers: Average Salary $180,840 per year
16. Advertising and Promotions Managers: Average Salary $181,540 per year
15. First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: Average Salary $182,810 per year
14. Other Physicians and Ophthalmologists: Average Salary $187,390 per year
13. First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers: Average Salary $187,890 per year
12. Financial Managers: Average Salary $191,380 per year
11. Architectural and Engineering Managers: Average Salary $193,050 per year
10. Marketing Managers: Average Salary $196,260 per year
09. Lawyers: Average Salary $201,920 per year
08. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates: Average Salary $211,940 per year
07. Computer and Information Systems Managers: Average Salary $212,480 per year
06. Family Medicine Physicians: Average Salary $214,810 per year
05. Chief Executive Officers: Average Salary $234,160 per year
04. General Pediatricians: Average Salary $235,190 per year
03. General Internal Medicine Physicians: Average Salary $239,360 per year
02. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Average Salary $252,430 per year
01. Psychiatrists: Average Salary $254,480 per year
San Francisco’s Top 5 Highest-Paying Industries
If you are unsure of what type of job you want to do, it may be beneficial to take a step back and determine which industry you want to work in. The top five highest-paying industries in San Francisco are listed below. You’ll also learn about the top three careers in each field, as well as their current job prospects:
- Healthcare: Understandably, the healthcare industry is one of the highest-paying industries in San Francisco (and California and the rest of the United States). There is a high demand for medical professionals in the San Francisco area, and because these positions require extensive training, they are well compensated.
Top 3 Professions
- Psychiatrists make an average of $254,480 per year.
- General Internal Medicine Physicians: $239,360 per year on average
- General Pediatricians make an average of $235,190 per year.
Job Opportunities: Because there is such a high demand for healthcare workers in San Francisco, job prospects for those interested in working in this field in this part of the country look very promising. As long as you have the necessary training and experience, you should have no trouble finding work as a medical professional in this city.
- Business Management
San Francisco is home to a diverse range of businesses, from major corporations like Lyft and Wells Fargo to a variety of small and medium-sized businesses. As a result, there are numerous high-paying jobs available for those interested in working in business management or administration.
Top 3 Professions
- Chief Executives: $234,160 per year on average
- Marketing Managers make an average of $196,260 per year.
- Advertising and Promotions Managers: $181,540 per year on average
Job Opportunities: The job prospects for those working in business or administration appear to be very promising. There are numerous job opportunities available in this field, ranging from management and director positions to entry-level positions. If you want to work in this industry, you should have no trouble finding work.
- Information and communication technology
San Francisco is home to Silicon Valley, which is home to many startups (including a variety of tech startups). As a result, the information technology industry is thriving throughout the San Francisco area, and there are many high-paying positions available for those with backgrounds in computer science, software development, network architecture, and other related fields.
Top 3 Professions
- Managers of Computer and Information Systems: $212,480 per year on average
- Computer and Information Research Scientists: $163,330 per year on average
- Data Scientists and Mathematical Scientists: $148,680 per year on average
Job Opportunities: The job prospects for those interested in working in the information technology industry appear to be very promising. There are numerous companies in San Francisco that require the assistance of tech-savvy professionals, so you will most likely be able to find a job (and a good one at that) without having to look too hard.
- Finance
Another of the highest-paying industries in San Francisco is finance. There is a high demand for finance experts in the area, particularly given the number of businesses (including startups and small businesses) that require professional assistance to keep their finances in order.
Top 3 Professions
- Financial Managers make an average of $191,380 per year.
- Personal Financial Advisors make an average of $155,960 per year.
- Financial Examiners make an average of $130,230 per year.
Job Opportunities: If you want to work in finance, your options in San Francisco appear to be quite good. Because there is such a high demand for finance experts here, you should have no trouble finding a high-paying job.
- Engineering
In the San Francisco area, the engineering industry is also very prominent. There are many businesses in this part of California that hire engineers and pay above-average wages, so this is a great field to consider if you want to earn a high salary while living comfortably in an expensive city.
Top 3 Professions
- Architectural and engineering managers earn an annual salary of $193,050 on average.
- Computer Hardware Engineers: $134,950 per year on average
- Environmental Engineers make an average of $124,210 per year.
Job Opportunities: If you want to be an engineer in San Francisco, your job prospects appear to be promising. Engineers of all types are among the highest-paid professionals in this city, and there are plenty of job opportunities for those with the necessary training and experience.
The Top 5 Highest-Paying Jobs in San Francisco for Fresh Graduates
If you’re a student looking for a high-paying job right out of college, it’s a good idea to be aware of the highest-paying jobs in San Francisco for recent graduates.
This list differs from the previous section’s top 20 list in that most people do not graduate from college and immediately land a position as a CEO or manager. However, some of the same trends are likely to persist, particularly in healthcare-related jobs.
Here are five of the highest-paying jobs for recent graduates:
- Pediatrician in general
General pediatricians have some of the highest entry-level salaries in San Francisco, earning an average of $153,080 per year, which is more than double the average salary for a San Francisco resident.
Pediatricians perform critical work and are in high demand, so it stands to reason that they earn high salaries right after graduation.
Of course, becoming a pediatrician requires a significant amount of time and effort. In addition to four years of undergraduate study and four years of medical school, you must also complete a three-year pediatric residency before you can begin practicing. The good news is that you’ll start earning an above-average salary as soon as you finish your residency and find a job.
- Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists, as the highest earners in San Francisco, also have one of the highest entry-level salaries in the city.
When they first start practicing, psychiatrists earn an average of $148,400 per year. Their services, like those of other healthcare professionals, are in high demand, so it’s understandable that they are well compensated for their time and efforts.
Psychiatrists attend school for a longer period of time than many other medical professionals. Before they can practice, they must first complete a 4-year residency after spending 8 years in undergrad and medical school. However, once you complete your training and are hired, you will be rewarded with a six-figure salary.
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
Nursing professionals in the San Francisco area also earn higher-than-average salaries. Their services are just as in demand as those of doctors and other types of healthcare workers, so they are fairly compensated for their efforts.
Nurse practitioners are among the highest-paid nursing professionals in the country, with entry-level salaries averaging $108,330.
There’s even more good news. Even though they share many of the same responsibilities, becoming a nurse practitioner takes much less time than becoming a doctor (counseling patients, diagnosing conditions, writing prescriptions, etc.).
Nurse practitioners must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing as well as a master’s degree in nursing or another healthcare-related field. This means that you will be able to begin practicing and earning a high salary sooner than many of your peers.
- Pilot for an airline
If you don’t want to work in medicine but still want to have a high-paying job after graduation, becoming an airline pilot could be a good fit.
Airline pilots earn an average entry-level salary of $111,750 per year, which is significantly higher than the average salary for a San Francisco resident. They also get to travel around the world and see places that most people only dream of seeing.
A bachelor’s degree, as well as a private pilot’s license and a commercial pilot’s license, are required to become an airline pilot. It takes time and a lot of training to become an airline pilot (which makes sense given how much responsibility they have), but it’s still less training than many of the other high-paying jobs on this list.
- Data Analyst
The average entry-level salary for a data scientist is $94,890 per year. Over time, however, they can earn significantly more — $148,680 per year on average.
Data scientists are in charge of gathering and analyzing data for businesses in order to help them make better decisions in the future. Data scientists are in high demand throughout the San Francisco area, as many businesses operate from here and require advice from trained professionals to help them navigate the competitive landscape.
A bachelor’s degree in a field such as computer science, information technology, or a related field is required to become a data scientist. Some go on to earn a master’s degree to broaden their job opportunities.
What Degree Is the Highest Paying in San Francisco?
A college degree is required to qualify for one of the best-paid jobs in San Francisco, including the top five jobs listed above for recent graduates.
The table below breaks down the top 5 degree types you might want to consider pursuing as a student (or as someone thinking about returning to school), as well as the potential salary you could earn once you graduate.
SNO |
Degree Type |
Expected Salary |
1 |
Medical – Psychiatry |
$254,480 per year |
2 |
Aviation |
$252,430 per year |
3 |
Medical |
$239,360 per year |
4 |
Nursing |
$149,200 per year |
5 |
Computer Science |
$148,680 per year |
There is no guarantee that you will earn a certain salary simply because you have a degree. Depending on where you work, when you graduate, and other factors, you could earn much more or much less than what is listed in the table above.
That being said, if your top priority after graduation is to earn a high salary, you’ll likely earn more money if you have a degree than if you don’t. This is especially true if you obtain one of the degrees listed above.
Final Thoughts on San Francisco’s Highest-Paying Jobs
Do you want to work in one of San Francisco’s highest-paying jobs? Do you know what they are now that you know what they are? Do you know what kind of training or degree you need to qualify for them?
Keep this information in mind as you plan for the future and begin upskilling to increase your chances of landing a job at one of San Francisco‘s highest-paying companies. Keep reading Careercartz latest post to get updated.
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