{"id":315974,"date":"2026-06-22T19:23:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T19:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/315974\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T19:23:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T19:23:14","slug":"some-florida-jobs-pay-more-after-costs-but-others-take-a-big-hit-study-finds-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/315974\/","title":{"rendered":"Some Florida jobs pay more after costs, but others take a big hit, study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 Florida <\/a>is known for its strong job market, fueled by tourism, healthcare, and steady population growth. But when it comes to pay, not every job benefits equally. <\/p>\n

So, does working in the Sunshine State actually pay more? The answer depends a lot on what you do.<\/p>\n

A new analysis on Monday from SmartAsset <\/a>takes a closer look at wages across Florida and compares them to national pay, adjusting for regional price differences. That adjustment gives a clearer picture of how far a paycheck really goes. When you account for cost of living, the gap between Florida and the rest of the country can look very different.<\/p>\n

Across more than 700 occupations, some jobs come with what researchers call a \u201cFlorida premium,\u201d meaning workers earn more than the national median after adjusting for prices. Others come with a significant penalty.<\/p>\n

At the top of the list are barbers.<\/p>\n

Barbers in Florida earn nearly 25% more than the national median for their occupation after adjusting for price differences, with a price-adjusted median salary of about $47,676. The result highlights how certain service jobs can benefit from the state\u2019s steady flow of residents and tourists.<\/p>\n

Opticians <\/a>rank next, earning about 20% more than the national median. Judges follow with a 16.6% advantage, along with dental lab technicians and ship engineers, both of whom post premiums above 14%.<\/p>\n

Even some of the highest-paying professions see a boost in Florida. Anesthesiologists earn about 14.7% more than the national median after adjusting for cost of living, while psychiatrists earn about 8.2% more. Optometrists also come out ahead, with a 7.2% premium.<\/p>\n

Florida\u2019s economy also helps explain some of the more unique entries. Athletes, supported by the state\u2019s many minor league and professional teams, earn about 13.7% more than the national median. Florida has the highest concentration of athlete jobs in the country, with roughly 0.2 positions per 1,000 jobs.<\/p>\n

See also: Deadly crashes fuel debate over Florida police pursuit policies<\/a><\/p>\n

Other roles tied to the state\u2019s lifestyle also benefit. RV service technicians, sailors, and gambling dealers all post solid pay advantages. Home appliance repairers and medical registrars make the list as well, each earning more than their national peers after adjusting for cost of living.<\/p>\n

But the picture is far from universal.<\/p>\n

For many workers, especially in creative, academic, and science-related fields, Florida wages fall short of national benchmarks, according to the study. <\/p>\n

Fashion designers see the steepest drop. Their price-adjusted median salary in Florida is about $41,511, nearly 49% lower than the national median. Emergency medicine physicians also face a sharp gap, earning about 41% less than their national counterparts after adjusting for prices.<\/p>\n

Several science and environmental roles show similar trends. Natural science managers, wildlife biologists, and environmental scientists all earn significantly less in Florida, with pay gaps ranging from roughly 28% to 35%.<\/p>\n

Higher education is another area where Florida lags. Postsecondary instructors in English, math<\/a>, and biology all earn well below the national median, with differences approaching or exceeding 25%. The report points to Florida\u2019s reliance on adjunct faculty in public colleges and universities as a possible factor behind the lower pay.<\/p>\n

Other roles with notable penalties include court reporters, typists, government eligibility interviewers, and correctional officer supervisors. Even in industries you might expect to benefit from Florida\u2019s economy, pay can lag. Flight attendants, for example, earn about 28% less than the national median after adjusting for cost of living.<\/p>\n

The takeaway is straightforward. Headline salaries do not always tell the full story.<\/p>\n

Florida\u2019s cost of living, which is slightly above the national baseline used in the study, means higher wages on paper do not always translate into greater buying power, according to the study. At the same time, industries tied to tourism<\/a>, recreation, and population growth <\/a>can push wages higher in specific occupations.<\/p>\n

SmartAsset based its findings on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> data from May 2025, adjusting Florida wages using a regional price parity factor to make them comparable nationwide. The study excluded occupations with fewer than 1,000 workers in the state.<\/p>\n

In the end, Florida can still be an attractive place to work, but whether it pays off may come down to the job you have.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 Florida is known for its strong job market, fueled by tourism, healthcare,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":315975,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-315974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=315974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/315975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=315974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=315974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=315974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}