San Diego Salaries low low low ???? (Los Angeles, Vista: real estate, rent, lawyers)

[Smitty D]

I live in San Diego, but now I'm thinking of Moving to Los Angeles
During some research I see that Salaries are more in LA than in San Diego
and thats across the board, I have researched several different occupations.
Can anyone tell me why ?? Salaries are so much lower in San Diego, than LA ??

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Smitty D

I live in San Diego, but now I'm thinking of Moving to Los Angeles
During some research I see that Salaries are more in LA than in San Diego
and thats across the board, I have researched several different occupations.
Can anyone tell me why ?? Salaries are so much lower in San Diego, than LA ??

A similar discrepancy exist with SD and the Bay Area. While SD does have some high tech and other job markets, it seems as if most of the jobs here are hospitality and tourism related. Not as much competition for workers I guess?

[CAVA1990]

The economy there is predominantly low wage service industry. Wages stay low due to a huge pool of underclass continuously replenished from South of the border plus people who stay even though their jobs have moved elsewhere.

[Mugsy]

Originally Posted by Smitty D

I live in San Diego, but now I'm thinking of Moving to Los Angeles
During some research I see that Salaries are more in LA than in San Diego
and thats across the board, I have researched several different occupations.
Can anyone tell me why ?? Salaries are so much lower in San Diego, than LA ??

What types of occupations have you researched?

This one is a pretty high salary:
(after 4 years anyways)

Apprentice Assistant Lineman

[benshaton]

San Diego has historically and continues to be very strongly anti-union. Employees, upper management excluded, have much less bargaining power here than they otherwise would have. Workers who aren't even represented still benefit from union's presence, which is why compensation is better elsewhere. San Diegans have been brainwashed by the local media to believe any unionism is bad, so a lower standard of living for the same work is a price they pay for it.

[beachrescue]

San Diego has been a low wage high rent town for the last 20 years. The cross border workforce destroys the economy in SD. The small biz community is not regulated and pays employees under the table to avoid paying the tax man. The leadership in the city is a joke. If the wages were in line with the cost of living the rich would be squeezed, and the cost of goods and services would sky rocket. The biggest issue in my opinion is that no jobs have been created in San Diego in a very long time. Industry does not want to locate here becuase of the cost of commercial real estate. This also effects what employers pay becuase the rent for the building is so expensive and out of line with what it is really worth.

San Diego is a place for Doctors, lawyers and teachers, college faculity etc.....it is not the place to come and look for a blue collar job, it is not a tourist meca, and the leaders choose this because it make them money. Most of San Diego is occupied by welfare, mentaly ill and disabled. Employers know allot of people come and go and use that to pay a low wage. If you really look at San Diego you cant find one area except sorrento valley that employs a large number of workers that make a fair wage. Los Angeles is massive compared to SD. Wages are not in line with the cost of living but they are better.

I had a freind that wanted to move here in 98. She moved and found a job in a couple of day thru a temp agency. She stayed and got hired with a large California employer. 10 years later that company is leaving San Deigo due to the high cost of doing business here. It pays more on Welfare than it does to get paid miniumum wage.

[Oerdin]

Originally Posted by Smitty D

I live in San Diego, but now I'm thinking of Moving to Los Angeles
During some research I see that Salaries are more in LA than in San Diego
and thats across the board, I have researched several different occupations.
Can anyone tell me why ?? Salaries are so much lower in San Diego, than LA ??

It's called the sunshine discount. Basically when a place is very desirable to live you get lots of people wanting to move there which results in wages being depressed.

[loveautumn]

Companies, particularly national or large companies, use cost of living rankings (created by outside consultants) that use 100 percentile as average. LA and OC have always been ranked higher than SD. For example, LA could be 107 where could be SD 100 or 98. This is all based on population, rents, etc.

I've never figured out myself why SD is rated lower, but I imagine because rents and housing is still more in LA. I know employers do use this to control/justify wages.

I think SD has improved greatly in the last decade or so in raising salaries here...but of course the COL has skyrocketed so it still doesn't balance out much.

But there aren't many places where wages are high and COL is low. Where COL is low, wages are low.

[sdhkshdcny09]

Originally Posted by beachrescue

San Diego is a place for Doctors, lawyers and teachers, college faculity etc.....it is not the place to come and look for a blue collar job, it is not a tourist meca, and the leaders choose this because it make them money. Most of San Diego is occupied by welfare, mentaly ill and disabled. Employers know allot of people come and go and use that to pay a low wage. If you really look at San Diego you cant find one area except sorrento valley that employs a large number of workers that make a fair wage. Los Angeles is massive compared to SD. Wages are not in line with the cost of living but they are better.

Rancho Bernardo employs thousands at good wages. The business parks near Poway, and in Carlsbad & Vista also have decent wages.

Agree that is is definitely not the best place to find a blue collared job.

Most of san diego is occupied by welfare, mentally ill, and disabled?
Not really sure where that comes from? random and inaccurate statement...

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by benshaton

San Diego has historically and continues to be very strongly anti-union. Employees, upper management excluded, have much less bargaining power here than they otherwise would have. Workers who aren't even represented still benefit from union's presence, which is why compensation is better elsewhere. San Diegans have been brainwashed by the local media to believe any unionism is bad, so a lower standard of living for the same work is a price they pay for it.

You know what the anti-Californians who blame all of California's problems on unions are going to do to you right? I agree with you but expect the anti union conservative backlash in 3...2...1...