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1 / 50#50. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $106,490
- Median hourly wage: $51.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Tampa
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Tampa. 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $107,710
- Median hourly wage: $51.78
- Total employment: 510 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $107,960
- Median hourly wage: $51.90
- Total employment: 36,850 people (25.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $109,640
- Median hourly wage: $52.71
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $110,140
- Median hourly wage: $52.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of police and detectives (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 1,010 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $110,300
- Median hourly wage: $53.03
- Total employment: 220 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $111,290
- Median hourly wage: $53.50
- Total employment: 460 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $112,310
- Median hourly wage: $53.99
- Total employment: 1,640 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $114,990
- Median hourly wage: $55.28
- Total employment: 1,610 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $118,060
- Median hourly wage: $56.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $119,440
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 310 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $122,630
- Median hourly wage: $58.96
- Total employment: 130 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $122,680
- Median hourly wage: $58.98
- Total employment: 600 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $124,370
- Median hourly wage: $59.80
- Total employment: 380 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $126,380
- Median hourly wage: $60.76
- Total employment: 14,520 people (10.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,410
- Median hourly wage: $60.77
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Lawyers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $126,780
- Median hourly wage: $60.95
- Total employment: 8,870 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Compensation and benefits managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $126,780
- Median hourly wage: $60.95
- Total employment: 250 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Psychologists, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,130
- Median hourly wage: $61.12
- Total employment: 280 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $127,430
- Median hourly wage: $61.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $127,610
- Median hourly wage: $61.35
- Total employment: 5,530 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $128,430
- Median hourly wage: $61.75
- Total employment: 3,810 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $129,740
- Median hourly wage: $62.37
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $130,340
- Median hourly wage: $62.66
- Total employment: 1,780 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $130,630
- Median hourly wage: $62.80
- Total employment: 370 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $131,310
- Median hourly wage: $63.13
- Total employment: 360 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $132,730
- Median hourly wage: $63.81
- Total employment: 940 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,110
- Median hourly wage: $64.00
- Total employment: 3,370 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $135,690
- Median hourly wage: $65.23
- Total employment: 390 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $139,230
- Median hourly wage: $66.94
- Total employment: 3,090 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $145,140
- Median hourly wage: $69.78
- Total employment: 120 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $147,920
- Median hourly wage: $71.12
- Total employment: 7,980 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $153,930
- Median hourly wage: $74.01
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elnur // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $161,290
- Median hourly wage: $77.54
- Total employment: 140 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $166,470
- Median hourly wage: $80.04
- Total employment: 5,860 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $166,630
- Median hourly wage: $80.11
- Total employment: 1,320 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $197,660
- Median hourly wage: $95.03
- Total employment: 1,130 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $226,130
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 200 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 530 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Radiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 150 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 200 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Physicians, pathologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 210 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 4,820 people (3.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 830 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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