More than 1,242,883 people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Alamo City's $121 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the Countdown City's heaviest hitters?

Consider this your San Antonio Business 101 — a guide to our region’s four key industries and nine major employers.

Note: When we say San Antonio metro area, that refers to Bexar, Comal, Atascosa, Bandera, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, and Wilson counties.

The key industries

There are five key industries that represent ~60% of the San Antonio metro area’s economy, based on data from San Antonio City Chamber of Commerce. We’ve listed them in order of employment numbers.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 17% or 213,300 employees

This sector saw a hiring of 1,900 individuals from 2022 to 2023. Even though this isn't the city's targeted industry sector, San Antonio has seen a steady increase in warehouse operations and the construction of new facilities in part thanks to its Ready to Work program.

Government | 15% or 187,800 employees

From Joint Base San Antonio to the FBI and NSA field offices, it's clear that Military City USA is one for government-based jobs.

Healthcare + Bio Sciences | 14% or 180,498 employees

In 2021, this industry generated the city of San Antonio a sum of $44.1 billion. Nearly one in five employees in the Alamo City work in this sector. Furthermore, nursing roles remain the top in-demand job in the healthcare industry.

The SA vibes are so strong — too bad we don't also have a Big Red in hand. | 📸 : @satxtoday team

Leisure + Hospitality | 12% or 147,500 employees

Tourism continues to be one of San Antonio's biggest industries. How can it not be? We have our world-famous Alamo, the San Antonio Missions UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Historic Pearl (to name a few).

Information Technology & Cybersecurity | 2% or 19,100

With Rackspace, USAA, Southwest Research Institute, and the UT System all offer competitive wages and various work from home or hybrid working options at their companies.

The major players

Now that we’ve established the major industries, we bet you’re curious for specific names. Whether you’re job hunting (or just “casually prospecting”), here are nine major employers — all that employ more than 2,000 workers on average.

Make a visit to HEB's newest store in Fair Oaks. | Photo by H-E-B Newsroom

H-E-B

154,000 employees | Grocery + Retail | Search jobs

The San Antonio-favorite grocery chain is one of the top-ranked Fortune 500 companies and employs 154,000 Partners in its company. The grocery giant was named the No.1 US Grocery Retailer for the third time — surpassing Amazon and Trader Joe's.

At Joint Base San Antonio there is a mix of civilian and active duty roles that can be filled. | Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melody Bordeaux/U.S.

Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)

74,3000 employees | Government | Search jobs

We are Military City USA and did you know that in 2019, military installations contributed $123.6 billion to our state's economy? $41.3 billion of that came from our very own JBSA. There's a host of civilian and military jobs listed on its website.

This national burger chain started in San Antonio and is still headquartered here. | Photo by Whataburger

Whataburger

50,000 employees | Restaurant | Search jobs

Home to delicious shakes and even better-tasting burgers, this chain is constantly expanding. Lucky enough, they are headquartered right here in the Alamo City. Fun fact: Whataburger moved its corporate offices from Corpus Christi to San Antonio in 2009.

USAA

37,000 employees | Financial Services | Search jobs

This institution serves the military community since 1922 by providing banking products, insurance coverage, and other financial programs.

UT Health San Antonio

7,900 employees | Healthcare + Research | Search jobs

In addition to serving 2.6 million patients each year, this organization also invests in local research, pushing the boundaries of medicine.

Frost Tower located in Downtown San Antonio | Photo by SATXtoday Team

Frost Bank

5,000+ employees | Financial Services | Search jobs

The namesake of the San Antonio Spurs home arena, the Frost Bank Center, offers financial services across Texas and continues to expand throughout the state since 1868.

Did you know your shiny new Tundra was made right here in the Alamo City? | Photo by Toyota USA

Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Texas

3,800+ employees | Manufacturing | Search jobs

Our Toyota plant makes the brand's Tundras and Sequoias. As of 2022, the assembly line has cranked out 126,189 new vehicles.

Check out this aerial photo of the SwRI main campus located in San Antonio. | Photo by Southwest Research Institute

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

3,100 employees | Research + Development | Search jobs

SwRI boasts more than 2.4 million sqft of laboratories, test facilities, workshops, and offices across 1,500 acres. It's one of the largest independent, nonprofit research and development organizations in the country. Fun fact: It's founder, Tom Slick, had proposed the name "Science City" for it's official moniker.

Rackspace

2,000 employees | IT + Cybersecurity industry | Search jobs

Rackspace is located in the Windcrest community of San Antonio and is one of the leading internet-hosting companies in the world.

This information is derived from the most recent data published by the Greater SATX Regional Partnership, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and the US Census Bureau.