With sparkling ocean waves, white-sand beaches, and gorgeous weather all year round, San Diego really earns its nickname “America’s Finest City.”
It is not just a great place to live. It is also home to some of the best employers in the country in terms of pay, benefits, job security, culture, and diversity.
Thinking about relocating to San Diego or the surrounding area? Looking for employers that actually value their people and offer real career growth?
You are in the right place. Below is a breakdown of top companies in the San Diego metro area and what makes them such desirable places to work.
How We Selected These Top San Diego Employers
To keep this list relevant for 2024 and 2025, we focused on employers that meet at least some of the following criteria:
- Recognized on recent “Top Workplaces” or “Best Companies to Work For” lists, especially from:
- The San Diego Union-Tribune Top Workplaces program
- Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For
- Zippia and other data-based rankings
- Strong anonymous employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed
- Competitive benefits and wellness programs
- Real career growth potential and internal promotion paths
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Clear investment in employee well-being and work-life balance
We also kept several companies that have repeatedly earned “Best Place to Work” recognition over the last decade, even if their most quoted awards are a few years old, as long as they are still relevant in the market today.
Watkins Wellness
Watkins Wellness, a Masco company, is a leading manufacturer of hot tubs and aquatic fitness products that help people relax, recover, and stay active. Its headquarters are in Vista, just north of San Diego.
Watkins has a long track record of being recognized as an outstanding workplace. It was named the number one Top Workplace in the large company category by the San Diego Union-Tribune, and has won multiple awards tied to employee wellness and workplace excellence over the years.
What makes Watkins stand out:
- A strong wellness culture that extends to employees, not just customers
- A casual, team-oriented environment where leadership is visible and approachable
- Good work-life balance and community involvement
- On-site, remote, and hybrid roles in the greater San Diego area
If you are looking for a stable, mission-driven manufacturer with a wellness-focused culture, Watkins is a serious contender.
Aya Healthcare
Aya Healthcare is the largest healthcare staffing and talent software company in the United States. Based in San Diego, it places travel nurses, allied health professionals, locum tenens providers, and non-clinical staff nationwide.
Aya is one of the most decorated employers in the region right now. The San Diego Union-Tribune named Aya the number one top workplace among large companies in 2023, and Aya has appeared on the Top Workplaces list for ten consecutive years.
Aya has also been recognized nationally by Fortune, Inc. Magazine, Modern Healthcare, and other outlets for its culture and growth.
Why people like working at Aya:
- Strong focus on employee feedback and continuous improvement
- Competitive pay and benefits, including 401(k), health coverage, and wellness programs
- Clear opportunities for advancement and internal mobility
- A culture that truly believes happy clinicians create better patient care
If you are in healthcare or interested in a fast-growing, mission-driven corporate environment, Aya is one of the top names in San Diego right now.
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton is a global consulting firm working with military, government, and commercial clients on analytics, digital solutions, engineering, cyber, and more.
The firm has a major presence in San Diego, supporting defense and government work. In the 2024 Union Tribune Top Workplaces report, Booz Allen was highlighted among the top large company employers in San Diego County based on employee surveys.
What stands out about Booz Allen:
- Strong emphasis on integrity, inclusion, and speaking up
- Professional development resources for consultants and technical staff
- Competitive pay and benefits in line with national consulting firms
If you want mission-focused work at the intersection of technology and national security, Booz Allen’s San Diego teams are worth a close look.
Qualcomm Inc.
Qualcomm is one of San Diego’s flagship tech companies. The company designs and builds wireless technologies and chipsets that power smartphones, connected vehicles, the Internet of Things, and more.
Qualcomm employs tens of thousands of people worldwide and thousands in San Diego. It is known for:
- A diverse workforce with strong representation from ethnic minorities
- Competitive compensation and equity for technical and engineering roles
- Solid retention compared to national averages in tech
- Flexible work options and a culture that balances demanding work with reasonable quality of life
You will still see Qualcomm show up regularly in write-ups about top San Diego employers and best tech companies to work for.
CA Technologies (Broadcom)
CA Technologies, now part of Broadcom, provides enterprise software, cloud solutions, and security tools. The company has been recognized as a strong workplace for women, including high marks for maternity and adoptive leave and generous paid time off through InHerSight and similar platforms.
Highlights for employees:
- Flexible work arrangements in many roles
- Better than average parental leave and PTO
- Career growth within a large, global tech organization
If you want the stability of a major enterprise tech company with strong benefits, Broadcom’s CA unit remains an option in the San Diego area.
San Diego Employee Relocation Services
Finding the right employer is step one. Actually getting yourself, your family, and your belongings to San Diego is step two.
Whether you are accepting a job with one of these top companies or relocating team members into the area, professional help makes a big difference.
Best Fit Movers Inc. specializes in moves in and around San Diego, including employee and corporate relocations. Rather than forcing you into a generic package, we tailor services to what you really need so you can stay focused on your new role, not logistics.
What You Get With Best Fit Movers
Our employee relocation division is built to support both individual professionals and HR teams. Services include:
- Free consultation to understand your timeline and scope
- A custom estimate based on your budget and needs
- Full service packing or partial packing, depending on your preference
- Custom crating for fragile or high-value items
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Furniture move-in and basic setup at your new home
- All the necessary equipment, including dollies, straps, and packing materials
We also offer short and long-term storage solutions and professional scheduling and logistics support. Every move is assigned a dedicated move coordinator, so you always know who to call with questions.
Best Fit Movers Inc. is fully licensed, bonded, and insured, which helps protect your belongings throughout the relocation process.
Ready To Start Your Move To San Diego?
San Diego offers a rare combination of career opportunities, lifestyle perks, and strong employers that actually invest in their people. Whether you want to join a mission-driven nonprofit, a cutting-edge biotech, a global tech company, or a hospitality brand with serious local roots, you have plenty of options.
When you are ready to make the move, Best Fit Movers can handle the heavy lifting while you focus on interviews, onboarding, and getting settled in your new city.
Fill out our online form to request a free moving estimate, or contact Best Fit Movers directly to talk through your San Diego relocation.
