San Diego averages 41.7 applicants per job across 13,030 open positions from 2,607 employers.
Financial Analyst leads with 81 applicants per job—3.2× higher than the least competitive roles
San Diego's most competitive positions are concentrated in tech and finance roles. Our analysis of 13,030 LinkedIn job postings shows Financial Analyst as the hardest role to land, with 81 applicants competing for each of just 54 openings. That's 3.2× more competitive than Licensed Practical Nurse roles and 94% above San Diego's average of 41.7 applicants per job.
Hardest to land — polish your resume
709+ openings across healthcare and skilled trades roles with just 25-25 applicants per job
Better odds — still need a great resume
Healthcare and skilled trades roles dominate San Diego's least competitive job categories. Licensed Practical Nurse positions have just 25 applicants per opening across 64 available jobs—3.2× easier to land than Financial Analyst roles and 40% below San Diego's average competition of 41.7 applicants.
Nurse leads with 400 openings at 26 applicants per job | Financial Analyst is hardest to land at 81 applicants | Licensed Practical Nurse easiest at 25
Our analysis of 13,030 LinkedIn job postings reveals significant variation in competition across San Diego's 33 major job categories. Nurse offers the most opportunity with 400 open positions, but faces 26 applicants per role. Meanwhile, Financial Analyst is the hardest role to land in San Diego with 81 applicants competing for just 54 openings.
Of all 33 job titles analyzed, 3 roles are highly competitive (70+ applicants) accounting for 239 jobs, while 18 roles have below-average competition (under 40 applicants) with 2,270 combined openings. The competition gap in San Diego is stark: Financial Analyst averages 81 applicants while Licensed Practical Nurse sees just 25—a 3.2× difference.
Qualcomm leads with 376 jobs (2.9% of market) | ASML hardest at 110 applicants | San Diego Supercomputer Center easiest at 25
Qualcomm dominates San Diego's job market with 376 open positions—2.9% of all jobs in the metro area—at 82 applicants per role. Intuit follows with 293 positions at 45 applicants each. The top 10 employers alone account for 1,991 jobs—15% of San Diego's market.
Competition varies dramatically by employer. ASML is the hardest place to get hired in San Diego with 110 applicants per job, while San Diego Supercomputer Center offers better odds at just 25 applicants. Of 31 major employers analyzed, 7 have high competition (70+ applicants) and 18 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
Browse 8 industries hiring across the San Diego metro area
Data compiled by ResumeTarget.com from 13,030 LinkedIn job postings in the San Diego metro area. Updated Dec 2, 2025.
Qualcomm, Intuit, and 8 other employers with 2,147 open positions
The Technology sector in San Diego currently has 2,147 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 56 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, UC San Diego Health, and 8 other employers with 2,033 open positions
The Healthcare sector in San Diego currently has 2,033 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 36 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, and 8 other employers with 922 open positions
The Manufacturing sector in San Diego currently has 922 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 42 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Illumina, and 8 other employers with 735 open positions
The Pharmaceutical & Biotech sector in San Diego currently has 735 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 66 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Ross Stores, Inc., H&R Block, and 8 other employers with 645 open positions
The Retail sector in San Diego currently has 645 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 38 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
KPMG US, LPL Financial, and 8 other employers with 587 open positions
The Banking & Finance sector in San Diego currently has 587 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 50 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Panda Restaurant Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and 8 other employers with 561 open positions
The Hospitality sector in San Diego currently has 561 open positions across 10 employers in San Diego. With an average of 34 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Deloitte, PwC, and 4 other employers with 546 open positions
The Accounting sector in San Diego currently has 546 open positions across 6 employers in San Diego. With an average of 27 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Diego's overall market average of 41.7.
Other leads with 1,586 jobs (12% of market) at 45 applicants | Health Care Provider easiest to break into at 27 applicants
Other dominates San Diego's job market with 1,586 open positions—12% of all jobs—at 45 applicants per role. Management and Manufacturing follows with 1,577 positions at 33 applicants each. The top 3 functions account for 4,684 jobs—36% of San Diego's entire job market.
Competition varies significantly by function. Product Management and Marketing is the most competitive category in San Diego with 64 applicants per job, while Health Care Provider offers the best odds at just 27 applicants—a 37-applicant difference. Of 22 functions analyzed, 0 are highly competitive (70+ applicants) and 7 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
How does San Diego's job competition compare to Southwest rivals?
Head-to-head job market comparison
San Diego has 11% less competition overall than Los Angeles. San Diego wins on most role comparisons.
See full Los Angeles job market data →Ranked by competition level (lower = easier)
San Diego ranks #3 of 5 for easiest job market in Southwest.
Competition changes from other cities
Competition data based on 13,030 active job postings in San Diego.
San Diego averages 41.7 applicants per job across 13,030 open positions. Financial Analyst is hardest at 81 applicants; Licensed Practical Nurse is easiest at 25.
Financial Analyst (81 applicants per job), Data Scientist (72), and QA Engineer (71). These roles see 3.2× more competition than healthcare positions.
Licensed Practical Nurse (25 applicants per job, 64 openings), Mechanic (25), and Nurse (26).
Qualcomm leads with 376 jobs, followed by Intuit (293) and Deloitte (266). 2,607 companies are actively hiring.
13,030 open positions across 2,607 employers. Data from LinkedIn, updated Dec 2, 2025.
Technology (2,147 jobs), Healthcare (2,033), and Manufacturing (922).
ResumeTarget.com compiled and analyzed 13,030 full-time job postings from LinkedIn across the San Diego-metro area to calculate competition levels by job title, industry, employer, and job function.
Competition is measured by the average number of applicants per job posting. Roles with 70+ applicants are classified as highly competitive, 40-69 as moderately competitive, and under 40 as less competitive.
With 41.7 applicants per job, you need a resume that immediately proves you're the top candidate. Our writers conduct 1-on-1 interviews to uncover your unique achievements and create ATS-optimized resumes that get noticed.
