Careers, Jobs and Education Resources for: California

California Fast Facts:

Location, Location, Location...:  Located on the West Coast along the Pacific Ocean, California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is the third largest by area.

Cities:  The state’s four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco, while the state’s capital is Sacramento.

Behind the Name:  “The Golden State” is only one of several nicknames that have been associated with California. Over the years, California has been referred as “The Land of Milk and Honey,” “The El Dorado State” and “The Grape State.” These nicknames served at various times to promote business and tourism for the state.

A Closer Look:  In the 19th century, the California Gold Rush brought about a large influx of people and an economic boom that helped San Francisco grow to a world-renowned metropolitan center.  

Did You Know?  The state is home to eight of the nation’s 50 largest cities. In addition to the four named above, the remaining cities are:  Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland.

California Careers and Employment:

Population:  36,756,666 (8.5% increase since 2000) – 50.0% Female, 50.0% Male (2008 U.S. Census Bureau).

Business Environment:  Ranked 40^th in Forbes Magazine’s “Best States for Business,” 2008.

Top Industries  In terms of paid employees, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study: (1) manufacturing; (2) retail trade; (3) health care and social assistance; (4) professional, scientific and technical services; and (5) accommodation and food services.

Taxes:  Income Tax, 1.0% to 9.3% and Sales Tax, 7.25% (Federation of Tax Administrators).

Cost of Living:  136.6 in relation to the “National Average” of 100 (Federal Cost of Living Index).

Quality of Life:  Ranked 19^th of 50 states by CNBC, 2009.

Weather:  Average Temperature (In °F) – Jan: 45.19; Apr: 56.50; July: 75.32; Oct: 61.56 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

K-12:  Ranked 43^rd of 50 states in “Academic Achievement” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2009.

California Economics:

In General:  Most of the workforce (39%) focuses on the services sector, while other notable sectors include wholesale or retail trade (19%), military and government services (15%), and manufacturing (12%).

Service Industry:  Community, business, and personal services comprise California’s leading service industry, including private health care, law firms and engineering companies, hotels and entertainment companies and repair shops. 

Agriculture:  California leads all of the other states in farm income, as it is strongly considered the agricultural centerpiece of the United States. About three-fourths of the state’s agricultural revenues are derived from crops, with the remaining revenues generated by livestock commodities.  In terms of revenue generated, California’s top five agricultural products are dairy products, greenhouse and nursery products, grapes, almonds, and cattle and calves.

Manufacturing:  Electrical equipment, components and military communication equipment are California’s leading manufactured products, including electronic systems for aircraft and missiles.  Manufacture of computer machinery ranks second in production, followed by food product processing of baked goods, beverages, canned fruits and vegetables.

Mining:  California is among the country’s leading mining states, producing a greater variety of products than most other states. Oil is the number one product. California mines all of the boron that is produced in the United States (2-4) [Ed. Note:  What’s boron? According to Wikipedia, “boron is an essential plant nutrient. Whereas lack of boron results in boron deficiency disorder, high soil concentrations of boron may also be toxic to plants. As an ultratrace element, boron is necessary for the optimal health of rats and presumably other mammals, though its physiological role in animals is yet poorly understood.”]

Fishing:  With 840 miles of coastline, it’s probably not surprising that California’s commercial fishing operation tops the nation as well.

Did You Know?  If California were a country, it would rank among the ten largest economies in the world, with a gross domestic product similar to that of Italy.  It would also be the 35th most populous country.

California Education:

Find Colleges and Universities in California, here.

Sources:  In addition to specific citations noted in this “Career Information” section, supplementary source materials include:  the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service; Netstate.com; Education-Portal.com; USCollegeSearch.org; and Wikipedia.com.