Best Community Colleges in Florida

Why Attend Community College in Florida?

Florida offers some of the best options when it comes to community college experience. There are many affordable choices like the Miami Dade College and the Tallahassee Community College, both costing less than $4,000 per year which is why it’s no surprise that many students flock to the Sunshine State. On top of that, Florida hosts a massive 8.6 million jobs - 6.1% of the nation’s labor force, ranked #4 in the US.

What Career Pathways Are Available in Florida?

When it comes to finding career opportunities, few can compare to the sheer breadth of those found in Florida. The state boasts 797 different job types which is 10.4 percent more than the national median of 722 unique positions, making Florida rank #3 in the US. Florida excels in a number of areas, notably in leisure, technology, and hospitality/tourism, among many other sectors.

What Are The Most Common Jobs in Florida?

Among the most populous job opportunities in Florida are fast food and counter workers, stockers and order fillers, and waiters and waitresses.

Fast Food and Counter Workers

As of the end of 2022, the state of Florida will employ the third most fast food and counter workers of any state - with approximately 179,000 individuals employed. That’s far behind the leader California, which is estimated to employ more than 360,000 fast food and counter personnel. Florida’s median annual salary for these individuals is $22,170 - a whole 74% lower than the salary offered in the national median state of Ohio, and even further away from the top-ranking California (which pays $31,400).

Stockers and Order Fillers

The number of stockers and order fillers in the state is also significant - with 177,600 employed at the end of 2022. That’s 7.24% of the nation’s stockers and order fillers. In Florida, these workers receive an annual salary of $29,570, which is 70% lower than the median in Ohio, and a much larger 32% lower than the top-ranking California.

Waiters and Waitresses

Florida will also be home to 170,290 waiters and waitresses. Despite being in the same line of work, only 1% fewer workers perform this task in California - a much smaller difference than those found for fast food and counter workers. Waiters and waitresses in Florida make an annual salary of $22,290 per year, which falls just below the national median of $22,730, and again falls further behind California (which pays $24,470). That being said, waiters and waitresses in this state have the potential to make significantly more - up to 109% of the median salary - with the right performance metrics.