San Diego's top workplaces, according to employees
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
It's hard to judge a company's culture before you're an employee, but the Union-Tribune's annual list of best places to work in San Diego County is a good place to start.
Why it matters: We spend a lot of our time working, and life is too short not to find satisfaction in your job, which is key to living better longer, Axios' Jim VandeHei writes.
- Plus: If you're looking for a change, these companies might be hiring.
How it works: The U-T partnered with employee survey firm Energage to determine the county's top workplaces in 2024.
- Employees offered feedback on pay and benefits, company direction, leadership, meaningfulness and appreciation, which Energage used to score local businesses .
- Out of 3,284 organizations invited to survey their employees, 124 agreed and 93 of those earned the recognition.
Driving the news: Booz Allen Hamilton was named the top workplace among large companies (more than 500 employees.)
- The consulting firm works with government, military and civil clients on cybersecurity, management and generative AI capabilities.
- The company also won a special innovation award for how it cultivates new ideas through collaboration among its 1,500 regional employees.
Zoom out: The other top-ranked large companies are Mission Federal Credit Union and Marsh McLennan Agency, a business insurance and benefits agency with an office in University City.
Zoom in: For midsize companies (150-499 employees), the top workplace is EVOTEK, a technology consulting firm and value-added reseller headquartered in Solana Beach. The other winners:
- Community Interface Service, a social services non-profit organization in Vista
- The recently renovated Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, whose CEO credits decent pay and a celebratory culture to its workforce bouncing back post-pandemic
The best small companies (less than 150 employees):
- Kidder Matthews, a commercial real estate firm with offices in Del Mar and Carlsbad
- Raken, a construction management software company based in Carlsbad
- Marque Urgent Care, which has four locations around the county
Follow the money: San Diegans looking for the biggest paychecks should find jobs in the information technology, pharma and biotech or aerospace and defense industries.
- Locally, those industries pay higher than the national average, but the average salaries are under six-figures, according to Glassdoor data.
- Meanwhile, dozens of fast-growing local businesses are seeing explosive revenue growth.
Go deeper: Read more about why workers feel lonely whether they're in the office or at home, and what employers can do about it.
