The latest data on job postings across the San Francisco Bay Area reveals a continued divergence in employment trends, with some sectors thriving while others experience a notable decline.

Education roles have declined across the board, especially in the last three months, with one exception:

• In Santa Clara, Education & Instruction saw a +25.0% increase, reaching 150 job postings by March 2025.
• In contrast, education roles declined in cities like San Jose (−4.0%), Redwood City (−9.1%), and Cupertino (−5.3%), with final job counts ranging from 90 to 480.

Tech continues to show resilience and growth, particularly in:

• Sunnyvale, where Software Development grew by +14.8%, ending the quarter with 310 job postings—a sign that AI and cloud computing investments may be driving continued hiring.

Legal roles in San Francisco also saw a modest rebound:

• Legal job postings rose by +6.5%, reaching 490 positions, potentially reflecting demand for compliance, privacy, or tech policy expertise amid ongoing regulatory shifts.

But perhaps the most surprising shift came in Sales roles:

• After more than a year of gradual decline, Sales job postings in San Francisco surged by +13.6% in Q1 2025, skyrocketing to 1,170 positions—the highest of any category in the region. This spike may reflect increased consumer confidence, product launches, or post-holiday sales team expansions.

Sources: Rubicon Labs