Equinix SV10

Silicon Valley's economy is the global center of tech: Google, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, Cisco, Intel, and dozens of headquarters and major operations. Data centers play a layered role — there are 35 tracked facilities here, almost entirely in Santa Clara, but the NAICS 518 jobs figure of 1,334 (estimated) badly understates reality because the cloud and software workforce is classified elsewhere. The visible data center cluster around De La Cruz Boulevard and Lafayette Street is one of the densest concentrations of hyperscale and wholesale facilities in the country, with Vantage, CoreSite, Digital Realty, and many others operating mega-campuses.

The trades market here is unusual. Electricians earn $91,030 median across 5,480 workers, anchored by IBEW Local 332 and the broader California prevailing-wage environment. HVAC technicians earn $82,050 — among the highest HVAC wages in the country. But the trades pool is small relative to the headquarters tenant concentration, creating chronic labor tightness. IT managers earn $291,660, the highest in this dataset, and network admins $133,360.

For a trades worker, Silicon Valley is the wage ceiling for electricians and HVAC technicians in data center work. Cost of living is brutal, but the supply-demand imbalance means contractors with experience win consistently. Best for established trades, not entry-level.