Santa Barbara County, California Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Santa Barbara County, California
Employment Indicators for Santa Barbara County, California (2024)
Total Employed
205,874
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
66.9 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
7.2%
Entrepreneurship
Government
17.0%
Public Sector
Santa Barbara County, California Workforce by Sector & Gender

Santa Barbara County, California Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 137,726 | 66.9% |
| Government | 34,976 | 17.0% |
| Self-Employed | 14,877 | 7.2% |
| Private Non-Profit | 17,962 | 8.7% |
Santa Barbara County, California Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.34:1 |
| Government | 0.87:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.31:1 |
Santa Barbara County, California Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Santa Barbara County, California Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 66.9% | 17.0% | 7.2% | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 67.4% | 16.5% | 7.3% | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 67.0% | 16.6% | 7.6% | 8.7% |
| 2021 | 67.9% | 16.0% | 7.4% | 8.5% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | 16.2% | 7.8% | 7.7% |
| 2019 | 67.8% | 15.9% | 8.0% | 8.1% |
| 2018 | 67.5% | 16.0% | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| 2017 | 67.8% | 16.0% | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| 2016 | 67.5% | 16.1% | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| 2015 | 67.4% | 16.2% | 8.0% | 8.1% |
| 2014 | 67.4% | 16.5% | 8.1% | 7.8% |
| 2013 | 66.8% | 16.6% | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| 2012 | 66.6% | 16.4% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2011 | 65.8% | 17.0% | 8.6% | 8.4% |
| 2010 | 66.3% | 16.3% | 8.7% | 8.5% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Santa Barbara County, California
The largest employment sector in Santa Barbara County, California is Private For-Profit, which employs 66.9% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 205,874 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Santa Barbara County, California.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.34:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Santa Barbara County, California has shown an increase, moving from 194,019 to 205,874 according to Census Bureau records.