Jobs Are Abundant in Cannabis. Here are the Top 15 Places to Start Careers

Rob Kachelriess

The business of marijuana is booming. With revenues on the rise, so is the demand for good employees. If you have any doubts, just type “marijuana jobs” into a search engine and see the results. 

Glassdoor released a report today that breaks down marijuana-related job postings for December 2018. Overall, 1,512 job openings connected to the U.S. cannabis industry were posted, 76 percent higher than in December 2017. The median salary for those positions was $58,511. The most in-demand jobs were brand ambassador, sales associate, store manager, wellness coordinator and delivery driver, which together totaled 17 percent of job postings.

It may be a good time to update your resume. But take note, some cities have more cannabis-related jobs to offer than others. These 15 metropolitan areas offer the most opportunities for new and experienced cannabis industry workers, based on open positions available in December 2018.

1. San Francisco

San Francisco-area employers posted 197 cannabis job openings, which add up to a healthy 13 percent category share. With California welcoming its first recreational sales in 2018, a strong demand for jobs should be expected. Top employers include Pax Labs, developer of the Juul e-cigarette and other vaping technologies.  

2. Los Angeles  

It's no surprise that California cities topped the list. Right on the heels of San Francisco with a 12 percent share, Los Angeles saw 181 cannabis job postings in December.

Want to work in cannabis? Head to California, where seven of 15 of the top metropolitan areas for marijuana industry jobs are located.

Glassdoor notes that brand ambassadors and sales associates were the most in-demand cannabis jobs in December 2018, no doubt drawing stacks of applications from thousands. Read on and you'll see that California had seven of the top 15 cities for cannabis-related employment.

3. Denver

As the largest city in one of the first two states to legalize recreational sales, Denver has a strong foothold in all aspects of the marijuana industry. The Denver area offered 99 jobs for a 7 percent share. The combined top three markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver accounted for nearly a third of the jobs posted.

4. New York City

New York had 66 jobs with a 4 percent share, reflecting its status as a global financial hub. Expect those numbers to grow even higher in 2019. New York is pushing toward statewide legal adult-use sales with the support of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Vireo Health, which operates four dispensaries in Queens, White Plains, Albany, and Johnson City, was actively hiring in December.

5. Seattle

The business of marijuana continues to thrive in and around the largest city in Washington state, which introduced adult-use back in 2012. There were 56 jobs with a 4 percent share.

6. Boston

It was a good year for marijuana in Massachusetts. The state welcomed the first adult-use dispensaries on the East Coast, opening the door for a new wave of employment. The Boston area had 44 jobs posted with a 3 percent share.

7. Chicago

The Chicago area is puffing away on the business of cannabis to the tune of 40 jobs and a 3 percent share. It's also home to Green Thumb Industries, which was the top employer for offering cannabis-related jobs on Glassdoor in December.

More than 1,500 jobs in the cannabis industry could be found on Glassdoor in December 2018. The job growth rate was 76 percent over the same month in 2017.

8. Miami-Fort Lauderdale

Florida's largest metro area had 38 jobs and a 3 percent share. Its biggest employer of cannabis-related jobs in December was Surterra Wellness, the operator or more than 20 health-focused dispensaries throughout the Sunshine State.   

9. Inland Empire, California

Located east of Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire of western Riverside and San Bernardino counties is a good gauge for Californians seeking cannabis jobs away from the coast. The region saw 37 jobs and a 2 percent share in December.

10. Portland, Oregon

The Portland area is tied with the Inland Empire, with 37 jobs and a 2 percent share, although no reason was given for its lower ranking on the list. Oregon is known for growing more cannabis than it can handle, allowing its largest metropolitan area to offer competitive prices throughout its vast network of dispensaries. Cura Cannabis Solutions, which operates under Portland-based Cura Partners, Inc., is a fast-growing hemp oil business that was actively hiring in December 2018.

11. San Jose, California

Job seekers saw 34 Silicon Valley job postings in December, adding up to a 2 percent share. Cannabis brand Caliva is responsible for many of the openings in San Jose and the southern San Francisco Bay Area.

12. Sacramento

As you can see, California is dominating the market for new cannabis jobs. That includes the state capital, where most of the laws concerning sales and production are decided. The Sacramento area offered 30 jobs and a 2 percent share.

13. Las Vegas

It's a bit surprising that Sin City didn't rank higher since Nevada recently celebrated higher-than-expected sales during its first full year of recreational marijuana. However, Las Vegas is in a bit of a wait-and-see period right now. Business and government leaders in Nevada, Clark County, and its cities are currently sorting out laws to approve consumption lounges for all the tourists who need a place to smoke while in town. When they do, expect job opportunities to spike.

14. San Diego

As California's southernmost large metropolitan area, it's another surprise this sunny region doesn't rank higher. Maybe it's more fun to surf than smoke? Or maybe California's ongoing struggle with the black market, leading to lower-than-expected legal sales in 2018, was felt especially strong here. San Diego offered 23 jobs and a 2 percent share.

15. Santa Barbara

This getaway on California's Central Coast is a perfect fit for the breezy cannabis lifestyle. Santa Barbara saw 22 jobs posted with a 1 percent share. Santa Barbara County actually led Californiae in cultivation permits in 2018, opening the door to new business revenues and the need to fill more jobs.