Business & Entrepreneurship
Regardless of the industry, every company needs people to account for finances, manage personnel, and sell products. Persons trained in sectors such as business, management, marketing, sales, and financial services (e.g., accounting, banking, investing) will find that their skills are highly marketable. Individuals interested in running their own businesses must master financial literacy and develop skills in mathematics, organization, time management, customer service, and communication. Within this sector, professionals are responsible for maximizing the experiences of customers, generating digital sales and traffic, managing personnel, and developing brands and products. Advances in technology, as well as market globalization and the expansion of banking and investment institutions around the world, will continue to create exciting and challenging career opportunities in this sector for the foreseeable future.
San Diego County Career Pathways & Salary Info - Hourly Rate (Salary)*
HS Diploma + Postsecondary Training (e.g., Certificate)
- Customer Service Representatives $16 ($33K)
- Billing and Posting Clerks $17 ($35K)
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $23 ($48K)
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $25 ($52K)
Associate Degree or Higher
- Human Resources Assistants $19 ($40K)
- Accountants and Auditors $28 ($58K)
- Training and Development Specialists $28 ($58K)
- Marketing Managers $43 ($89K)
*Entry-level hourly rates have been rounded up and salaries are provided as examples of what workers would make if they worked full-time (2080 hours a year)
Sample of Local Associations, Chambers & Employer Resources
- Chambers of Commerce
- CONNECT San Diego
- Economic Development Councils
- Small Business Development Center in San Diego & Imperial County (SBDC)
- Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
- Women’s Business Center of California
Imperial County Career Pathways & Salary Info - Hourly Rate (Salary)*
HS Diploma + Postsecondary Training (e.g., Certificate)
- Customer Service Representatives $14 ($29K)
- Billing and Posting Clerks $14 ($29K)
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $20 ($42K)
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $27 ($56K)
Associate Degree or Higher
- Human Resources Assistants $16 ($33K)
- Training and Development Specialists $22 ($46K)
- Accountants and Auditors $25 ($52K)
- Marketing Managers $28 ($58K)
*Entry-level hourly rates have been rounded up and salaries are provided as examples of what workers would make if they worked full-time (2080 hours a year)
Sample of Local Associations, Chambers & Employer Resources
- Wells Fargo
- Imperial Chamber of Commerce
- First Foundation Bank
- Payless Auto Insurance Broker
- Stewart Title Guaranty Company
- Farmers Insurance
- El Centro Chamber of Commerce
- Imperial Valley Small Business Development Center
Fast Facts
- 294,010 people employed
- 1% (4,240) 5-year projected job growth
- 29,027 businesses
- 9% of the sector's employment in California
- $85,684 average earnings per job
- 10% of the sector's businesses in California
Programs & Schools
Cuyamaca College
APPLY- Account Clerk
- Administration
- Administrative Assistant
- Broker's License
- Business - General
- Business Administration
- Business Administration for Transfer
- Business Information Worker
- Business Office Technology
- Craft Industries Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship - Small Business Management
- Executive Assistant
- Floral Design
- Front Office Receptionist
- Office Assistant I
- Office Assistant II
- Office Professional
- Office Software Specialist Level I
- Office Software Specialist Level II
- Paralegal Studies
- Real Estate
Grossmont College
APPLY- Account Clerk
- Administrative Assistant
- Business Administration *ADT cert
- Business Information Worker
- Business Office Technology
- Executive Assistant
- Front Office Receptionist
- Management
- Marketing
- Office Assistant Level 2
- Office Assistant, Level 1
- Office Professional
- Office Software Specialist, Lev 1
- Office Software Specialist, Lev 2
- Virtual Office Assistant
Imperial Valley College
APPLY- Agriculture Business Management
- Business Accounting
- Accounting Technician
- Business Administrative Assistant
- Business Administration
- Business Information Systems
- Business Management
- Computer Networking
- Business Office Technician
- Retail Management
MiraCosta College
APPLY- Accounting
- Accounting Assistant
- Bookkeeping
- Business Administration for Transfer
- Business Administration
- Business Information Worker (BIW)
- Business Fundamentals
- Business Productivity Software Applications
- Business Productivity Software Applications Essentials
- Business Quick Startup
- Computerized Accounting Applications
- Employability Skills *
- Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship Fundamentals
- Hospitality Management
- Income Tax Preparer
- Income Tax Professional
- Internet and E-Commerce
- Management
- Marketing
- Meeting and Event Management
- Nursery/Horticulture Crop Production
- Payroll Professional
- Project Management
- Restaurant Management
- Retail Assistant
- Retail Management
- Rooms Division Management
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Social Media for Business
- Viticulture and Enology
- * Designates noncredit classes
Palomar College
APPLY- Accounting
- Advertising, Marketing, and Merchandising
- Business: General
- Business Management
- Child and Family Services
- Child Development Early Childhood Administration
- Drone Applications and Technologies
- Drone Operator 1
- E-Marketing
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Merchandising
- Graphic Design
- Illustration
- Interior Design
- International Trade
- Journalism
- Journalism/Blogging
- Journalism/Multimedia
- Medical Office Specialist
- Military Leadership Apprenticeship Program
- Multimedia Design
- Project Management *
- Public Relations
- Real Estate Appraisal License Preparation
- Real Estate Broker License Preparation
- Real Estate Salesperson License Preparation
- Retail Management
- Visual Merchandising
- * Designates noncredit classes
San Diego City College
APPLY- Accounting
- Accounting - Bookkeeping for a Small Business
- Accounting - Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Preparatory Program
- Accounting - Recordkeeping for a Small Business
- Accounting - Tax Preparer
- Accounting - VITA Tax Preparation Training
- Business Studies - Business Administration
- Business Studies - Business Communications and Cultural Competence
- Business Studies - Business Operations - Cannabis Dispensary
- Business Studies - Business Presentations
- Business Studies - Customer Relationship Management
- Business Studies - Job Skills
- Business Studies - Management and Team Building
- Business Studies - Small Business Management Entrepreneur
- Business Studies - Sports Management
- Business Studies - Starting and Managing a Small Business
- Business Studies - Working Education
- Business Studies - Writing and Computational Skills for Business
- Cosmetology
- Cosmetology - Nail Technician
- Cosmetology - Esthetician
- Cosmetology - Esthetician Business Administration
- Labor Studies - History and Politics of America Labor
- Labor Studies - Labor Studies
- Retail Management
- Small Business Accounting
- Small Business Management
San Diego College of Continuing Education
APPLY- Account Clerk *
- Administrative Assistant *
- Advanced Project Management *
- Business Information Worker: Entry-Level Skills *
- Business Information Worker: Communication Skills *
- Business Information Worker: Technical Skills *
- Project Management *
- Small Business Growth *
- Small Business Planning *
- * Designates noncredit classes
San Diego Mesa College
APPLY- Accounting
- Accounting: Governmental/Nonprofit
- Business Administration
- Business Management
- Fashion: Computer Technology - Design
- Fashion: Computer Technology - Merchandising
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Merchandising
- Marketing
- Real Estate
- Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship
San Diego Miramar College
APPLY- Accountancy
- Accountancy for Enrolled Agents
- Accounting Bookkeeping
- Administrative Assistant
- Aviation Business Administration
- Aviation Operations Management
- Business Administration
- Business Management
- Continuing Education for CPA Candidates
- Entrepreneurship
- Financial Services
- Independent Business Ownership
- Legal Secretary
- Paralegal
- Personal Training
- Team Resource Management (Aviation)
- Yoga Teacher
Southwestern College
APPLY- Accounting
- Administrative Office Assistant - Bilingual - Intensive Training
- Architecture
- Architecture Technology
- Bookkeeping/Payroll Specialist
- Bookkeeping Technician
- Business Administration
- Business Management
- Customer Service: Mastering Communication *
- Customer Service: Managing Change *
- Customer Service: Time and Stress Management *
- Community, Econ and Urban Development
- Community, Economic, and Urban Development - Basic
- Community, Econ and Urban Development-Intermediate
- Cyber-Forensic
- Developing High-Performance Charts in Microsoft Excel *
- E-Business
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business
- Entrepreneurship Education: Landscape Construction Emphasis
- Entrepreneurship Education : Recording Arts Emphasis
- Entrepreneurship Education: Event/Convention Planning Emphasis
- Entrepreneurship Education: AutomotiveTechnology Emphasis
- Entrepreneurship Education: Web Design
- Finance
- Financial and Investment Services Speciality
- Financial Services
- Introduction to Computers *
- Introduction to Microsoft Word *
- Insurance
- Insurance - Basic
- Insurance - Advanced
- International Business
- International Business Emphasis
- International Business - Basic
- International Business - Intermediate
- Introduction to Drone Technology and Applications *
- Leadership and Supervision
- Leadership and Supervision - Basic
- Leadership and Supervision - Intermediate
- Legal Interpretation - Basic (Engl/Span)
- Legal Interpretation and Trans - Intermediate (Eng/Span)
- Legal Office Assistant - Bilingual - Intensive Training
- Legal Office Management
- Legal Office Management - Basic
- Legal Office Management - Intermediate
- Legal Office Prof - Bilingual: Civil Litigation Specialty
- Legal Office Prof - Bilingual: Criminal Law Speciality
- Legal Office Prof - Bilingual: Immigration Law Specialty
- Legal Office Prof - Bilingual: Wills, Trusts, & Estates Specialty
- Legal Office Prof: International Bus. Law Specialty
- Legal Office Prof: Wills, Trusts, and Estates Specialty
- Legal Office Professional
- Legal Office Professional - Bilingual (Eng/Span)
- Legal Office Professional - Bilingual (Eng/Span) - Basic
- Legal Office Professional - Bilingual: Int'l Business Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional - Bilingual: Family Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Business Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Family Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Civil Litigation Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Criminal Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Immigration Law Specialty
- Legal Office Professional: Wills, Trust, and Estates Specialty
- Management
- Management - Basic
- Marketing
- Marketing - CP
- Marketing - CT
- Micro Technician Bookkeeper
- Office Information Systems Prof - Bilingual - Basic
- Office Information Systems Prof - Bilingual - Advanced
- Office Information Systems Professional
- Office Information Systems Professional - Basic
- Office Information Systems Professional - Advanced
- Office Information Systems Professional - Bilingual
- OIS: Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) - Advanced
- OIS: Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) - Basic
- Paralegal Studies
- Paralegal Studies: Bilingual (English/Spanish)
- Payroll Clerk
- Real Estate
- Remote Pilot Ground School *
- Tax Preparation/Income Tax I *
- Tax Preparation/Income Tax II *
- Virtual Business Office Professional
- Virtual Business Office Support Professional
- Virtual Business Professional
- * Designates noncredit classes
Want to know more? Find the college and program that fuels your success.
student success story
Student Story: Krupa Karia
Krupa always wanted to start her own fashion brand. But after getting married, having a child, and moving to the US from India, Krupa put her aspirations aside. She decided to reignite her dreams and get career education in sewing and clothing construction. Now, Krupa has begun selling her original designs at farmers’ markets and on Etsy. Watch now to get inspired by Krupa’s can-do attitude.
