It’s easy to see why the demand for software engineers continues to rise. Every website or application that you’ll interact with today was developed by a software engineer, and given that our lives are becoming increasingly digital, software engineering as a profession offers a high level of job security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of software engineering and development jobs will increase by 25% in the next decade, a pretty astonishing growth rate.
This translates into lucrative salaries for software engineers, but not all software engineers are compensated equally. Want to learn more about which software engineers make the most in Florida? Then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll tell you all about the highest-paying software engineering jobs in Florida, and what they entail.
Is It Hard to Become a Software Engineer in Florida?
In recent years, Florida has become popular amongst tech companies, with names like Apple, Salesforce, Oracle, and American Express operating offices in the state. Tech giants like Microsoft and Meta employ plenty of remote workers in Florida, too. However, compared to states like California, the level of competition is quite low, making Florida a great place to search for a software engineering job.
What Are the Highest Paying Software Engineering Jobs in Florida?
Software engineer jobs are among the highest-paying jobs in tech, especially when you look at mid- and senior-level positions. Let’s take a look at some of the most lucrative roles:
Software Engineer/Developer
National Average Salary: $108k
Top Salary: After having 7 years of experience in the field, software engineers are considered senior-level and earn an average of $141k per year.
Responsibilities: Use coding languages to develop computer programs, applications, and software.
Principal Engineer
National Average Salary: $147k
Top Salary: $167k
Responsibilities: This is the company’s highest-ranking software engineer. Their job is to oversee all of the work done by their company’s software engineering department.
Front-End Developer
National Average Salary: $87k
Top Salary: $130k
Responsibilities: Create user-facing aspects of a program, app, or website, including menus, buttons, and widgets. Graphic design skills are handy for this specialization.
Back-End Developer
National Average Salary: $105k
Top Salary: $119k
Responsibilities: Build and maintain the processes that perform actions and store data on websites.
Full Stack Developer
National Average Salary: $106k
Top Salary: $121k
Responsibilities: A jack-of-all-trades type that can work on the front end and back end of a website.
DevOps Engineer (Development and Operations)
National Average Salary: $117k
Top Salary: $185k
Responsibilities: Act as the liaison between their company’s development department and operations department.
Software Architect
National Average Salary: $133k
Top Salary: $277k
Responsibilities: Develop the architectural blueprints for software projects and make executive design decisions.
Data Scientist
National Average Salary: $116k
Top Salary: $153k
Responsibilities: Create business solutions by analyzing data for trends. Data scientists spend a lot of their time doing research, collecting data in information systems, and writing code and algorithms to analyze the data.
Web Developer
National Average Salary: $70k
Top Salary: $124k
Responsibilities: Build new websites from the ground up. Web developers take into account their client’s requirements—such as expected traffic, or what devices the website needs to be compatible with—and write the underlying code to meet those needs.
Application Developer
National Average Salary: $106k
Top Salary: $162k
Responsibilities: Application developers work on designing, developing, updating, and maintaining mobile applications on iOS and Android devices. This includes regular testing and bug fixing for existing apps.
Game Developer
National Average Salary: $79k
Top Salary: $128k
Responsibilities: Game developers work with game studios and publishers to develop and maintain video games. They’re trained in working with in-house or commercial game engines like Unity or Unreal.
Entry-Level Software Development Jobs in Florida
Everyone has to start somewhere. Here are some entry-level software development jobs in Florida that can serve as a stepping stone to the more senior positions we just detailed:
Junior Software Engineer
The role of a junior software engineer is heavily dependent on the industry and the company. Tasks usually include a lot of debugging and testing of current and previous projects, as well as personal development projects set by more experienced team members.
Junior Web Developer
Junior web developers are usually expected to jump right into projects, coding the less traffic-heavy web pages of projects. They’re also often tasked with page optimization and ensuring cross-platform compatibility.
What Cities in Florida Pay the Most?
Orlando
The average salary for software engineers in Orlando is $105,060 which is slightly above average. It’s home to some large employers such as Universal Orlando Resort, which frequently hire software professionals.
Miami
In Miami, the average salary for software engineers is $108,539, with top salaries reaching $174,000. With a high number of tech startups in the area, it can be a great place to find a software engineering position.
Tampa
Topping the charts for salaries in Florida, Tampa pays an average of $124,981 per year, with salaries reaching highs of $196,000. It’s a popular city for established tech and financial businesses and a good place for both junior and senior developers to find work.
What Companies in Florida Are Hiring Programmers?
From banking and security to big-time retailers, there are a number of notable companies hiring software professionals in Florida. Here are a few examples:
American Express
American Express needs software developers in a number of departments, from online banking to payment security.
ADT
ADT provides both small and large businesses with electronic, fire, and alarm monitoring services. Their head office is located in Florida and they need software developers to develop and maintain their security software services.
eBay
eBay works with software engineers to maintain their website and applications, as well as develop algorithms to improve the shopping experience.
How to Become a Software Engineer in Florida
The path to becoming a software engineer in Florida depends on your level of experience. Some find their interest in the field early on in life and study it at college, while others follow a different career first and transition into tech later. Here’s how your situation can affect the steps you’ll take to become a software engineer in Florida.
No Experience
Acquire the skills: Learn how to code by attending college, self-studying, or enrolling in a career-focused bootcamp like USF’s Tampa coding bootcamp.
Build a portfolio: Gather experience by contributing to open-source or volunteer projects, finding freelance work, or completing an internship.
Start your job search: Frequent general and tech-specific job boards and reach out to tech companies in Florida to find out about local job openings.
Career Transition
Acquire the skills: One of the most accessible forms of education for full-time workers is online, part-time bootcamps. These allow you to study at a slower pace and according to your existing schedule.
Build a portfolio: Expand your experience through remote freelance work, volunteering initiatives, or open-source projects, all of which you can do from home in your spare time.
Start your job search: Use your existing network to get first-hand information on new job openings and try to get a referral.
How Can You Get a Software Engineering Job that Pays a Higher Salary?
Here are some general tips to increase your value as an employee:
Earn a certification
Familiarize yourself with additional programming languages
Find a niche to specialize in
Develop your industry knowledge and keep up to date with trends
Be proactive in your workplace
FAQs About Being a Software Engineer in Florida
We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions.
Is software engineering a good career in Florida?
Florida is attracting more and more tech, finance, and fintech companies, and is becoming one of the better-paid states for software developers. Despite this, competition is still lower than in states like California, making it easier to land a job.
Can I get into coding without a degree?
Degrees are still common in this industry but there are many self-taught software engineers as well. As long as you learn the skills, create an extensive portfolio, and get involved in the community as much as possible, you will be able to impress hiring managers.
Is it hard to get a programming job without experience?
Entry-level roles don’t expect candidates to have a lot of professional experience, so it’s definitely possible to get a job without it. However, it’s still best to bulk up your skills and resume with other kinds of experience like open-source, volunteer, or freelance work.
