Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in California by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares California's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-service restaurants | 33,733 | 562,737 | $29,370 | 0.82 | +1.6% |
| Full-service restaurants | 30,454 | 607,236 | $36,169 | 0.75 | -0.1% |
| Offices of lawyers | 23,565 | 144,694 | $150,505 | 0.81 | +0.6% |
| Dental practices | 22,560 | 139,968 | $62,943 | 1.08 | +0.8% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 12,467 | 126,354 | $86,520 | 0.66 | +2.3% |
| Electrical contractors | 11,124 | 124,769 | $103,826 | 0.73 | +1.0% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 10,810 | 56,819 | $337,410 | 0.80 | +3.2% |
| General auto repair | 10,154 | 45,310 | $60,710 | 0.77 | +0.2% |
| Engineering services | 9,777 | 126,421 | $151,517 | 0.64 | +0.9% |
| Landscaping services | 9,662 | 106,707 | $54,482 | 0.51 | +0.6% |
| Child day care | 9,224 | 82,242 | $41,583 | 0.76 | +0.3% |
| Beauty salons | 8,401 | 31,456 | $37,453 | 0.70 | +2.2% |
| Janitorial services | 8,027 | 115,379 | $38,026 | 0.63 | +1.5% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 7,836 | 314,467 | $41,884 | 0.87 | -0.6% |
| CPA offices | 7,382 | 60,158 | $125,202 | 0.76 | -0.8% |
| Other accounting services | 6,975 | 29,282 | $80,677 | 0.64 | +2.3% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 6,514 | 56,400 | $36,988 | 0.42 | +2.4% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 5,725 | 85,012 | $25,003 | 0.83 | +1.0% |
| Physical therapists | 5,292 | 45,544 | $53,669 | 0.67 | +5.5% |
| Other health practitioners | 4,488 | 16,470 | $65,185 | 0.75 | +17.2% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 4,218 | 44,963 | $58,868 | 0.43 | -8.7% |
| Chiropractors | 4,092 | 13,017 | $42,339 | 0.68 | +0.6% |
| Auto body & paint | 4,013 | 33,596 | $70,620 | 0.74 | -0.4% |
| Veterinary services | 3,568 | 48,512 | $69,179 | 0.65 | +4.1% |
| Religious organizations | 3,400 | 29,704 | $40,902 | 0.85 | +2.1% |
| Roofing contractors | 3,398 | 33,930 | $72,560 | 0.70 | +4.8% |
| Convenience retailers | 3,298 | 17,698 | $33,849 | 0.61 | +1.6% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 3,217 | 18,042 | $70,801 | 0.63 | +0.1% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 3,025 | 33,508 | $30,213 | 0.46 | +3.2% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 2,759 | 18,738 | $38,886 | 0.66 | +3.5% |
| Optometrists | 2,662 | 16,313 | $52,288 | 0.81 | +2.1% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 1,928 | 21,170 | $73,184 | 0.85 | -3.3% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 1,904 | 11,189 | $37,637 | 0.84 | -1.3% |
| Parking lots & garages | 1,774 | 24,709 | $39,638 | 1.47 | +4.5% |
| Other similar organizations | 1,254 | 12,427 | $54,433 | 0.53 | -2.0% |
| Florists | 1,253 | 4,895 | $36,309 | 0.67 | -0.1% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 1,222 | 4,604 | $54,627 | 1.05 | +0.4% |
| Auto glass replacement | 842 | 3,748 | $57,681 | 0.77 | +6.7% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 762 | 8,528 | $31,228 | 0.63 | -3.9% |
| Barber shops | 661 | 2,576 | $38,021 | 0.53 | +7.3% |