The Tampa metropolitan area is the third fastest-growing job market in Florida, according to the most recent economic update from the state, with most of the job growth coming in education and health services, manufacturing, and information services.
According to the most recent report from FloridaCommerce, Tampa had 12,700 more private-sector jobs in August than it did the previous year — a 0.9% increase that accounts for nearly 15% of the state’s total job gains.
The leading industry for job growth in Tampa is education and health services, which saw roughly 7,600 new jobs over last year, followed by manufacturing with 1,300 new jobs and information services with about 600 new jobs. Tampa’s labor force also grew by 3,755 people, a 0.2% increase that the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council sees as an indicator of confidence in the region’s economy. That’s despite an unemployment rate that grew from 3.8 percent last year to 4.4 percent this year.
“Tampa is now recognized as one of the top markets for talent in the United States,” said Craig J. Richard, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. “Lightcast’s 2025 Talent Attraction Scorecard ranks the Tampa metro area number eight among large metros in the country, specifically because of our region’s ability to draw coveted prime-age, high earning, college educated workers. We see few signs of this upward trajectory abating as Gen Z discovers the career opportunities and lifestyle that Tampa Bay has to offer.”
The surge in job growth is a testimonial to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council’s efforts to position the region as a hub for high-growth industries, the organization says.
Since its inception in 2009, the Tampa Bay EDC has focused on attracting new companies, retaining existing talent and developing the local workforce to fill high-wage positions in the region. Over the past 16 years, the agency says those efforts have resulted in nearly 50,000 direct jobs.
Industries that have seen the most growth in recent years include financial and professional services, life sciences, health care and advanced manufacturing companies. The Tampa EDC has also increased its efforts to attract foreign domestic investment to the region, working directly with foreign companies to make Tampa their entry point into the U.S.
The agency’s efforts helped Tampa secure the top ranking in the U.S. for foreign businesses in a recent Financial Times-Nikkei ranking.
According to the Tampa EDC, nearly 500 foreign-owned companies representing roughly 40 nations currently operate in the Tampa area, including Israeli defense technology company Xtend Reality and Scotland’s Systal Technology Solutions.
With the largest port in Florida, a top-rated international airport and an expanding labor force, Tampa is well positioned for continued economic growth, the agency says.