San Francisco Jobs: Top Careers, Growing Industries, Salary Info, And More For The California Bay Area
San Francisco is known for its technology jobs. It is the most popular area of California for internet and computer-oriented companies. While a degree in computer science is useful in proving that you have the know-how to design a computer network or create a program out of code, it is not necessary. Anyone working out of their basement can start their own internet company and watch it grow into a billion dollar conglomerate. All they need is a marketable idea and the needed skills and connections. This is rare, however, and so, in order to get a good job in the San Francisco area, it is recommended that you have a degree.
What you get that degree in, however, depends on what sort of computer work you want to do. There is computer animation, computer software programming, and network and computer system administrators, among others.
Computer animators have Bachelor’s degrees from Art School, usually in computer art and design or in animated drawing, or in graphic art (sometimes a combination of several of those.) They are the people who design and implement cartoons for commercials, TV shows and movies. They do not write the script. They are handed it, along with story boards, and then they create the visuals that make up the plot and move it along. The average salary for a graphic artist in San Francisco is $ 60,840 a year.
Computer software engineers are the people who design the structure of a program. They come up with the idea and how to implement it. Then they hand the project off to a computer programmer, who does the basic coding and testing of the program before handing it back. Then the software engineer reviews it and ensures that the program does what it is supposed to before the program is released to the public. Both computer software engineers and computer programmers usually have Bachelor’s degrees in computer science. The engineer may have Master’s degree in computer information systems. The average salary of a computer software engineer in San Francisco is $ 103.300, while a computer programmer makes $ 82,530 a year on average.
A network systems and data communications analyst is the person who designs and implements a computer network. They set up wireless networks for companies and schools, so that all of the computers owned by the company can be connected through an intranet. Sometimes they are independent workers who set up and maintain networks for several different companies, while sometimes they work for only one business and are in charge of keeping only that particular one up and running. They work with computer systems analysts and network and computer systems administrators. The analysts are the people who handle the data in order to make sure the design of the network works with the company’s specific needs. The network and computer systems administrator is the one overseeing the entire job to make sure that it is done correctly. All 3 need at least Bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. The average salary of a network systems and data communications analyst in San Francisco is $ 82,530, while the computer systems analyst makes $ 88,100. A network and computer systems administrator makes $ 85.280.
Also, there are computer database administrators, who earn $ 89,120 per year. A database administrator designs and implements the databases that hold vast amount of information. Often a company will keep track of their information, whether its accounting or personnel records, by setting it into a searchable database. The database administrator is the person who comes with a logical system to hold and track that information.
Most of the jobs in San Francisco revolve around computers, so a Bachelor’s degree in programming, design or computer information systems is necessary to get a great job.
Resources:
San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont Career, Salary & Employment Info
Bureau of Labor Statistics: San Francisco - http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ca_sanfrancisco_md.htm
California Career, Salary & Employment Info

