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1 / 30#30. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $45,110
- Median hourly wage: $21.69
- Total employment: 130 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Lakeland
What do we mean when we talk about computer and engineering jobs? Well, that depends. These positions encompass various roles dedicated to new technology development and maintenance. Take software developers, who create and oversee computer programs, versus mechanical engineers, who design and build physical products, tools, and systems. However different these careers may be, though, they do have a few things in common: bachelor's degree requirements, a focus on analytical thinking, and the allure of a steady paycheck, particularly for recent college graduates.
First, the bad news—ongoing technological advancements have massively impacted these industries. As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded in the technology sector, finding an entry-level job has become increasingly difficult. LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman noted in a May 2025 op-ed for The New York Times that artificial intelligence is decimating the "bottom rung of the career ladder" in technology, while a May 2025 report from SignalFire found that the hiring of new grads at the nation's 15 largest tech companies has dropped by more than 50% since 2019.
Yet, while the situation may seem dire, it's not all doom and gloom for computer and engineering jobs. Although these positions may be more selective than they once were, many pay far more than the country's 2024 median wages of $49,500. Those in computer and information technology occupations can expect to make a median salary of $105,990 as of 2024, while engineers earn median wages of more than $97,000.
Employment in these fields is also expected to grow at a healthy rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average of 356,700 new computer job openings yearly through 2033, and 195,000 new engineering job openings in the same period. Furthermore, growing interest in sustainable infrastructure and construction techniques could lead to exciting opportunities for engineers.
Though it's difficult to predict the exact future of computer and engineering jobs, those interested in these fields can at least consider one important aspect: salary. Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying computer and engineering jobs Lakeland. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 30#29. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 820 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 30#28. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
4 / 30#27. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $58,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 30#26. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 180 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 30#25. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 100 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 30#24. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,620
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 170 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 30#23. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
9 / 30#22. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
10 / 30#21. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 260 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 30#20. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $71,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
12 / 30#19. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
13 / 30#18. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 30#17. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $78,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 170 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 30#16. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 230 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 30#15. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $84,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
17 / 30#14. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $85,420
- Median hourly wage: $41.07
- Total employment: 120 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 30#13. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $85,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
19 / 30#12. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $86,340
- Median hourly wage: $41.51
- Total employment: 770 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
20 / 30#11. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $90,960
- Median hourly wage: $43.73
- Total employment: 410 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 30#10. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $91,670
- Median hourly wage: $44.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 30#9. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,880
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 140 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 30#8. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $96,760
- Median hourly wage: $46.52
- Total employment: 80 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
24 / 30#7. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $97,190
- Median hourly wage: $46.73
- Total employment: 250 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
25 / 30#6. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,760
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 410 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 30#5. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $102,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
27 / 30#4. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $103,300
- Median hourly wage: $49.66
- Total employment: 200 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 30#3. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,120
- Median hourly wage: $50.54
- Total employment: 310 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 30#2. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $121,580
- Median hourly wage: $58.45
- Total employment: 1,060 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 30#1. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $125,960
- Median hourly wage: $60.56
- Total employment: 130 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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