What is the best place to work? Here's a list of the 10 best Florida-based employers (2024)

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:

1. Carnival (Miami) - Best in hotels, restaurants and leisure, ranked in top quality of pay, best companies in the south.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Spirit Airlines (Dania Beach) - Spirit Airlines also received recognition for top quality of pay and ranked among the best companies in the south.
10. 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.