Average Salaries in Florida
Explore salaries across 790 occupations in Florida. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $67.8K, +3.1% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 790 occupations and 9,817,300 total jobs in Florida.
How the state compares
Wages in Florida track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Florida has a large and diverse labor market, with meaningful employment across most occupations.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Florida
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Florida
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $473.8K | 580 |
| Anesthesiologists | $465.4K | 2,530 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $430K | 2,260 |
| Radiologists | $417.7K | 1,680 |
| Cardiologists | $414.9K | 920 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $399.4K | 580 |
| Neurologists | $322.8K | 520 |
| Psychiatrists | $316.2K | 1,930 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $313.5K | 370 |
| Physicians, All Other | $262.2K | 23,390 |
Largest occupations in Florida
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 333,460 | $34K |
| General And Operations Managers | 236,290 | $101.6K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 235,400 | $29.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 229,940 | $84.2K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 228,000 | $40.4K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 207,180 | $36.2K |
| Cashiers | 201,370 | $30.5K |
| Office Clerks, General | 189,700 | $44.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 171,380 | $36.4K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 164,400 | $38.2K |
What Florida specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Florida than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Florida
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Motorboat Mechanics And Service Technicians | 3.24 | $55.7K |
| Helpers--Roofers | 3.21 | $38.4K |
| Entertainers And Performers, Sports And Related Workers, All Other | 2.92 | N/A |
| Fiberglass Laminators And Fabricators | 2.78 | $47.1K |
| Roofers | 2.72 | $47.6K |
| Travel Agents | 2.68 | $50.1K |
| Telemarketers | 2.62 | $35.6K |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation | 2.62 | $45.2K |
| Models | 2.55 | $45.9K |
| Medical Appliance Technicians | 2.49 | $46.1K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Florida
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Florida
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $68.3K | 2,724,420 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $68.4K | 1,418,860 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $65.4K | 1,391,620 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $67.8K | 750,840 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $63.2K | 328,490 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $64.7K | 294,160 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60.9K | 253,400 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $66.3K | 237,130 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $62.3K | 211,040 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $60.6K | 181,850 |
Common salary questions for Florida
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.