Photo: Unidentified United States Navy photographer / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
San Diego’s economy rests on a few large pillars, each with deep roots in the region’s geography, from its harbor and border location to its research universities.
The military and defense
San Diego is home to one of the largest concentrations of military personnel in the world. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, and the region also hosts Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Air Station North Island, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in North County. Shipbuilding and repair along the bayfront and a large defense contracting industry follow from that presence.
Life sciences and technology
The Torrey Pines mesa and surrounding areas, near UC San Diego, the Salk Institute and Scripps Research, form one of the country’s largest life sciences clusters. San Diego is also the headquarters of Qualcomm, the wireless technology company, and has a broad base of software, telecommunications and cleantech firms.
Tourism
Beaches, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, SeaWorld, Comic-Con International and the convention center make tourism one of the region’s largest employers.
Trade and the border
The region’s economy is closely tied to Tijuana and Baja California. Manufacturing plants on the Mexican side, many supplied through Otay Mesa’s commercial crossing, connect the two economies, and the Port of San Diego handles cargo such as vehicles and fresh produce as well as cruise ships.
The pressure points
High housing costs are a persistent challenge for employers recruiting workers, and many industries depend on federal spending and research funding that can shift with national policy.
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