San Francisco averages 69 applicants per job across 21,897 open positions from 3,367 employers.
Backend Developer leads with 123 applicants per job—4.6× higher than the least competitive roles
San Francisco's most competitive positions are concentrated in tech and finance roles. Our analysis of 21,897 LinkedIn job postings shows Backend Developer as the hardest role to land, with 123 applicants competing for each of just 67 openings. That's 4.6× more competitive than Maintenance Technician roles and 78% above San Francisco's average of 69 applicants per job.
Hardest to land — polish your resume
597+ openings across healthcare and skilled trades roles with just 27-26 applicants per job
Better odds — still need a great resume
Healthcare and skilled trades roles dominate San Francisco's least competitive job categories. Maintenance Technician positions have just 27 applicants per opening across 59 available jobs—4.6× easier to land than Backend Developer roles and 61% below San Francisco's average competition of 69 applicants.
Software Engineer leads with 1,675 openings at 97 applicants per job | Backend Developer is hardest to land at 123 applicants | Maintenance Technician easiest at 27
Our analysis of 21,897 LinkedIn job postings reveals significant variation in competition across San Francisco's 38 major job categories. Software Engineer offers the most opportunity with 1,675 open positions, but faces 97 applicants per role. Meanwhile, Backend Developer is the hardest role to land in San Francisco with 123 applicants competing for just 67 openings.
Of all 38 job titles analyzed, 20 roles are highly competitive (70+ applicants) accounting for 4,922 jobs, while 11 roles have below-average competition (under 40 applicants) with 1,232 combined openings. The competition gap in San Francisco is stark: Backend Developer averages 123 applicants while Maintenance Technician sees just 27—a 4.6× difference.
OpenAI leads with 335 jobs (1.5% of market) | OpenAI hardest at 175 applicants | BioSpace easiest at 25
OpenAI dominates San Francisco's job market with 335 open positions—1.5% of all jobs in the metro area—at 175 applicants per role. Deloitte follows with 329 positions at 28 applicants each. The top 10 employers alone account for 2,717 jobs—12% of San Francisco's market.
Competition varies dramatically by employer. OpenAI is the hardest place to get hired in San Francisco with 175 applicants per job, while BioSpace offers better odds at just 25 applicants. Of 61 major employers analyzed, 37 have high competition (70+ applicants) and 14 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
Browse 8 industries hiring across the San Francisco metro area
Data compiled by ResumeTarget.com from 21,897 LinkedIn job postings in the San Francisco metro area. Updated Dec 2, 2025.
DoorDash, Google, and 8 other employers with 8,691 open positions
The Technology sector in San Francisco currently has 8,691 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 88 applicants per job, this industry is highly competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
KPMG US, Capital One, and 8 other employers with 1,848 open positions
The Banking & Finance sector in San Francisco currently has 1,848 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 77 applicants per job, this industry is highly competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, and 8 other employers with 1,281 open positions
The Healthcare sector in San Francisco currently has 1,281 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 45 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
Deloitte, PwC, and 8 other employers with 904 open positions
The Accounting sector in San Francisco currently has 904 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 30 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
EY, Alvarez & Marsal, and 8 other employers with 768 open positions
The Consulting sector in San Francisco currently has 768 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 38 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
Genentech, AbbVie, and 8 other employers with 725 open positions
The Pharmaceutical & Biotech sector in San Francisco currently has 725 open positions across 10 employers in South San Francisco, San Francisco. With an average of 79 applicants per job, this industry is highly competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
Gap Inc., Williams-Sonoma, Inc., and 8 other employers with 661 open positions
The Retail sector in San Francisco currently has 661 open positions across 10 employers in San Francisco, South San Francisco. With an average of 67 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
OpenAI, Anthropic, and 1 other employers with 589 open positions
The Research sector in San Francisco currently has 589 open positions across 3 employers in San Francisco. With an average of 151 applicants per job, this industry is highly competitive compared to San Francisco's overall market average of 69.
Engineering and Information Technology leads with 4,034 jobs (18% of market) at 88 applicants | Health Care Provider easiest to break into at 29 applicants
Engineering and Information Technology dominates San Francisco's job market with 4,034 open positions—18% of all jobs—at 88 applicants per role. Sales and Business Development follows with 1,623 positions at 57 applicants each. The top 3 functions account for 7,264 jobs—33% of San Francisco's entire job market.
Competition varies significantly by function. Product Management and Marketing is the most competitive category in San Francisco with 100 applicants per job, while Health Care Provider offers the best odds at just 29 applicants—a 71-applicant difference. Of 25 functions analyzed, 13 are highly competitive (70+ applicants) and 3 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
How does San Francisco's job competition compare to West Coast rivals?
Head-to-head job market comparison
San Francisco has 42% more competition overall than Seattle. Seattle has easier competition for key roles.
See full Seattle job market data →Ranked by competition level (lower = easier)
San Francisco ranks #5 of 5 for easiest job market in West Coast. The most competitive market—a strong resume is essential.
Competition changes from other cities
Competition data based on 21,897 active job postings in San Francisco.
San Francisco averages 69 applicants per job across 21,897 open positions. Backend Developer is hardest at 123 applicants; Maintenance Technician is easiest at 27.
Backend Developer (123 applicants per job), Data Analyst (121), and Data Engineer (117). These roles see 4.6× more competition than healthcare positions.
Maintenance Technician (27 applicants per job, 59 openings), Tax Accountant (27), and Nurse (26).
OpenAI leads with 335 jobs, followed by Deloitte (329) and PwC (319). 3,367 companies are actively hiring.
21,897 open positions across 3,367 employers. Data from LinkedIn, updated Dec 2, 2025.
Technology (8,691 jobs), Banking & Finance (1,848), and Healthcare (1,281).
ResumeTarget.com compiled and analyzed 21,897 full-time job postings from LinkedIn across the San Francisco-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 69 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.
