Florida cities have topped three “best places for jobs” lists since April.
First, a suburb of Orlando took third place on CareerMinds.com’s list of the top 10 cities for those looking for a career change. A month later, in May, three Florida cities ranked on WalletHub’s list of the top 10 U.S. cities for starting a career.
And earlier this month, WalletHub released another rankings list of the best places for summer jobs in 2024, ranking three Florida cities in the top 10.
Based on these lists, jobs are plentiful in the Sunshine State. But what Florida-based companies are the best employers?
A more recent list from U.S. News and World Report ranked the best Florida-based companies to work for. Here’s the list.
What is the best place to work in Florida?
With Florida being a hotspot for domestic tourists, it probably isn’t very surprising that four of the 10 best companies to work for in Florida are in the hotels, restaurants, travel and leisure industries.
Here are the 10 best Florida-based companies to work for, according to U.S. News and World Report’s rankings list:
- Carnival (Miami) - Best in hotels, restaurants and leisure, ranked in top quality of pay, best companies in the south.
- Darden (Orlando) - Darden is a family of restaurants that Includes Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Yard House, Eddie V’s, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and Seasons 52. Darden is ranked among the best companies in the south on U.S. News’s list.
- FIS (Fidelity National Information Services in Jacksonville) - FIS is based in Jacksonville and employs more than 55,000 people in almost 60 countries. FIS is a globally respected technology provider for capital markets, retail banking and merchant industries.
- L3Harris (Melbourne) - L3Harris is a defense and aerospace technology manufacturing company that provides tech for air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris ranked in top quality of pay, best in manufacturing and among the best companies in the south.
- MarineMax (Clearwater) - MarineMax is a recreational boat and yacht retailer, receiving best in retail and best companies in the south recognitions on U.S. News’s list.
- PetMeds (Delray Beach) - PetMeds is an online pet pharmacy and is ranked among the best companies in the south and the best in personal care, drug and grocery stores. PetMeds also received recognition for having a top work environment.
- Roper Technologies (Sarasota) - Roper is an IT, software and services company that provides tech for niche industries. Roper’s products include Application management software, sensor networks, campus card and cashless systems, laboratory information management solutions, network software and technology-enabled products. Roper is ranked among the best in IT, software and services and the best companies in the south.
- SBA Communications Corporation (Boca Raton) - SBA is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates wireless communications infrastructure. SBA controls assets like towers, buildings, rooftops, antenna systems and other tools to support wireless carriers and digital service providers. SBA ranked among the best companies in the south and received recognition for top quality of pay.
- Spirit Airlines (Dania Beach) - Spirit Airlines also received recognition for top quality of pay and ranked among the best companies in the south.
- Travel + Leisure Co. (Orlando) - Travel + Leisure Co. owns Margaritaville resorts, Wyndham resorts, Sports Illustrated resorts and more. Travel +Leisure Co. received recognition for being among the best in hotels, restaurant and leisure and also ranked among the best companies in the south.
What is a normal salary in Florida?
Depending on where you live in the state and what job you have, living in Florida can be affordable.
First-time home buyers may want to choose a different state to settle down on a budget and prices for things like groceries and insurance in Florida are some of the highest in the nation, but it isn’t all bad news.
To make ends meet in Florida, you typically don’t have to make more than the national average salary (around $59,000).
According to BankRate and MIT’s living wage calculator, a single adult with no children would need to earn a minimum of $36,848 to make ends meet in Florida. Cost of living is subjective to where you’re located in the state, though.
For example, residents in some metropolitan areas across southeast Florida need to make $100,000 each year in order to avoid being rent burdened.
FAQs
10 Largest Florida Companies by Employees
| Rank | Company | Employees |
|---|
| 1. | Publix | 207,000 |
| 2. | Jabil | 200,000 |
| 3. | Darden Restaurants | 184,514 |
| 4. | Bloomin' Brands | 94,000 |
6 more rowsBest companies in Florida
- Greenberg Traurig. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Citadel Securities, LLC. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Holland & Knight. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Akerman. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Fisher & Phillips Llp. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- United Data Technologies. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Availity. Zippia Score 4.9. ...
- Southeastern Grocers. Zippia Score 4.9.
Tampa, alongside Miami, leads the nation in wage growth, indicating that employers are willing to offer competitive salaries to attract and retain talent. While Miami ranks sixth in job market strength, its performance is notable in the broader context of Florida's economic appeal and Tampa's wage growth.
What company makes the most money in Florida? ›
U.S. top companies in Florida 2021, by revenue
In 2021, the leading publicly traded company headquartered in Florida was Publix Super Markets. That year, they had a revenue of 45.2 billion U.S. dollars. Following Publix Super Markets was Jabil, which had a revenue of 27.27 billion U.S. dollars.
Who is the largest single site employer in Florida? ›
80,000 Cast Members
Walt Disney World Resort is the largest single-site employer in the United States and serves as a catalyst for tourism, recreation and diversifies the region's economy.
What company employees the most? ›
What are the largest employers in the world by number of...
- Walmart: 2,100,000.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (federal government, civil service): 2,100,000.
- Amazon: 1,541,000.
- Foxconn: 826,608.
- Accenture: 732,000.
- Volkswagen: 676,915.
- Tata Consultancy Services: 616,171.
- Deutsche Post: 583,816.
A good salary in Florida depends on factors such as location, industry, and individual needs. The cost of living in Florida is lower compared to some other states. The median household income in Florida is around $59,227. A good salary in Florida can range from $50,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on various factors.
What is the highest paying job in Florida? ›
The average annual salary for Heart Doctors in Florida is $451,200. It may also come with additional pay of $144,400, making it the top high-paying job in Florida and 2nd on the list of the highest-paying jobs in the USA. Not only that, but it's also one of the highest-paying medical and healthcare jobs in 2024.
Where is the best place to find a job in Florida? ›
Cape Coral-Fort Myers holds first place in the national rankings, while Sarasota-Bradenton, Orlando, Lakeland, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale are also in the top 10. The report says these Florida markets rank high due to strong job growth and low unemployment rates.
What city in Florida pays the best? ›
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Live In Jobs in Florida
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|
| Key West | $60,694 | $29.18 |
| Jupiter | $59,797 | $28.75 |
| Daytona Beach | $58,745 | $28.24 |
| Pompano Beach | $57,577 | $27.68 |
6 more rowsLakeland
The cost of living in Lakeland is 8.4% lower compared to the national average. It is the cheapest place in Florida to live and well-connected. Lakeland's affordable food, health, housing, and transportation facilities make the city one of the cheapest places to live in the US.
Where is the best place to live in Florida for work? ›
Without a doubt, one of the best places for employment in all of Florida is Tampa. In fact, Tampa ranked in a list of the top 150 U.S. cities for its job market and its socioeconomic environment. In the past year, the number of jobs in Tampa grew by more than 3%.
Who is Florida's number one employer? ›
In Florida, the top employer is NASA, followed by Costco and Google. The top Florida-based employer is Sarasota Memorial Hospital, coming in at No. 4.
What is the top 1 income in Florida? ›
ORLANDO, Fla.
- SmartAsset, an online financial information and advice tool, has released its 2024 findings on the income required to be considered a top 1% earner in each U.S. state. In Florida, the study found that earning over $852,206 annually is necessary to join the ranks of the state's highest earners.
Where in Florida can you make the most money? ›
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Highest Jobs in Florida
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|
| West Palm Beach | $89,353 | $42.96 |
| Gainesville | $88,989 | $42.78 |
| Bonita Springs | $88,160 | $42.38 |
| Santos | $87,902 | $42.26 |
6 more rowsIn Florida, the income floor of the top 1% of earners is $852,206. This is an increase from the top 1% threshold, in 2023, of $157,219.
Who is the 1 employer in the USA? ›
Walmart is the largest American employer, with a workforce of nearly 2.2 million people. However, because of its international reach, only 1.3 million of those were employed in the United States. Each of America's 10 largest employers has a workforce of more than 300,000 people.
What is the main industry in Florida? ›
The top five industries in Florida for employment are: trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality.
Who is an employer in Florida? ›
(a) “Employee” means any individual employed by an employer, including individuals employed by the state or any of its political subdivisions or instrumentalities of subdivisions. (b) “Employer” means any person who employs two or more employees.
