Florida‘s technology landscape is thriving – with nearly 10,000 tech companies operating in the state spanning industries from aerospace to life sciences, Florida has nurtured an innovation ecosystem that creates abundant high-paying jobs for skilled technology professionals.
Recent years have seen particular momentum, as business incentives, elite university engineering programs and an affordable cost of living compared to tech hubs like Silicon Valley draw investors and talent alike to the Sunshine State. Employment in Florida‘s tech sector grew by 13% in 2021 alone. According to industry forecasts, Florida stands poised to become America‘s next major tech talent hub.
Below I have compiled and analyzed the 10 most lucrative, highest paying technology jobs currently available across Florida in 2023 based on average salary ranges from credible sources like Glassdoor and PayScale. Each offers generous six-figure earning potential thanks to high market demand from Florida‘s world-class employers seeking experts in these roles to lead cutting-edge development and strategy initiatives.
I provide an overview of key responsibilities as well as required and preferred skills for each coveted technology position on the list. For insightful comparison, I contrast Florida salary averages against national ranges. Leading Florida companies actively hiring across these high-paying roles are highlighted as well.
Review the rankings, salary data comparisons and employer names carefully as a guide to identifying the highest value opportunities tailored to your experience as you progress in your technology career in Florida.
Let‘s count down the top 10 highest paying technology jobs currently available in the state of Florida and explore what makes each so lucrative!
Florida‘s 10 Highest Paying Tech Jobs in 2023
| Rank | Tech Job | Average Florida Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Development Director | $152,500 – $257,500 |
| 2 | Data Scientist | $86,050 – $223,000 |
| 3 | Engineering Manager | $115,000 – $205,000 |
| 4 | Mobile App Developer | $75,500 – $152,000 |
| 5 | Software Architect | $110,000 – $178,000 |
| 6 | Cloud Engineer | $90,250 – $150,500 |
| 7 | Full Stack Developer | $75,000 – $128,500 |
| 8 | IT Manager | $96,500 – $140,000 |
| 9 | Data Engineer | $85,000 – $118,000 |
| 10 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | $63,000 – $95,000 |
Friend, with Florida‘s thriving technology ecosystem comprised of nearly 10,000 companies, vigorous hiring demand for these roles is driving premium salaries for qualified candidates. As highlighted in the table, software development directors secure the highest average compensation packages at over $250,000 per year!
But pay potential remains strong across data science, engineering management, mobile and full stack development and more – all offering average six figure earnings in Florida. Now let‘s explore each lucrative tech job highlighted above more closely…
#1. Software Development Director – $152,500 to $257,500
Software development directors command the highest Florida salaries on our list due to the critical leadership they provide – they set the technical vision and execution strategies for large teams of software engineers.
With 10+ years of extensive hands-on programming expertise plus people management skills honed leading initiatives through architecture, design and delivery, software dev directors earn well over $250K on average.
Your responsibilities span planning project roadmaps, overseeing coding standards, optimizing development lifecycle processes and advancing team member skills through mentoring. You serve as the bridge between engineering priorities and corporate business objectives.
Given rapid technology shifts, you must stay on top of latest trends like artificial intelligence and leverage them to fuel innovation. Top employers like Ultimate Software, SecurityMetrics and Beyond.com seek forward-thinking software leaders to spearhead digital transformation.
The national average salary for software development directors is $165,269 according to Glassdoor – so Florida offers a $90K premium!
#2. Data Scientist – $86,050 to $223,000
Data scientists unlock transformational business insights from mountains of data using advanced statistical modeling and machine learning techniques.
As data-driven decision making becomes more critical across Florida‘s leading industries like healthcare and finance, demand for data science skills maintains breakneck growth. Average Florida salaries reflect this hypercompetition for talent, ranging from $86K up to $223K per year.
Day to day, you could perform regression analysis of risk factors for loan default predictions using TensorFlow. Or cluster patient populations to reveal comorbidity patterns in electronic health records via Python and sklearn. Top hiring companies like Deloitte, CGI Group and Humana seek data scientists fluent in both coding and quantitative methods.
The national average salary for data scientists is $117,345 according to Glassdoor salary data – so Florida offers a healthy $30K to $100K upside!
The #3 through #10 highest paying Florida technology jobs on our list also deliver compelling upside versus national averages thanks to the density of leading employers spanning industries aggressively competing for talent in these areas locally…
#3. Engineering Manager – $115,000 to $205,000
#4. Mobile App Developer – $75,500 to $152,000
#5. Software Architect – $110,000 to $178,000
#6. Cloud Engineer – $90,250 to $150,500
#7. Full Stack Developer – $75,000 to $128,500
#8. IT Manager – $96,500 to $140,000
#9. Data Engineer – $85,000 to $118,000
#10. Software Quality Assurance Analyst – $63,000 to $95,000
Beyond the attractive base and bonus earnings potential across all roles, Florida offers a very affordable cost of living compared to crowded California tech hubs. Housing costs 44% less in Florida metro areas like Tampa and Orlando. There is no state income tax, and recreational opportunities abound with year round sunshine and beautiful beaches!
Plus Florida has invested heavily in infrastructure and incentives to nurture startups and support company relocations. With elite university computer science programs Like University of Florida and Florida State feeding talent, all signs point to accelerating momentum.
Friend, I hope mapping Florida‘s highest paying and most promising technology career opportunities here provides helpful guidance as you look to level up both your earnings and your impact through a rewarding leadership role at one of the state‘s cutting edge employers! Let me know if you have any other questions.
