Top Earning Careers in Lakeland, FL for 2026
As we progress into 2026, the job market in Lakeland, Florida, continues to showcase a diverse array of high-paying career opportunities across various industries such as healthcare, technology, and finance. Whether you’re a seasoned professional seeking a lucrative career transition or a recent graduate exploring your options, this comprehensive guide highlights the highest-paying positions available in the Lakeland area.
Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), we present the 17 highest-paying jobs in Lakeland for 2026. While many of these roles demand significant experience, there are also attractive entry-level positions for candidates with the right educational background.
The top-paying job in Lakeland remains the Physician, boasting an impressive average annual salary of $281,401 and an entry-level salary of $142,000.
This guide is designed to assist anyone considering a career change, contemplating relocation to Lakeland, or strategizing their career path after graduation by outlining the most lucrative jobs and thriving industries in the area.
Here’s a snapshot of the top 10 highest-paying jobs in Lakeland, Florida:
Comprehensive Overview of Lakeland’s Top Paying Jobs
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary | Entry Level Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physician | $281,401 | $142,000 |
| 2 | Hospitalist Physician | $249,243 | $176,000 |
| 3 | Internist | $229,952 | $122,000 |
| 4 | Psychiatrist | $200,450 | $122,000 |
| 5 | Hospitalist | $199,216 | $130,000 |
| 6 | Primary Care Physician | $198,331 | $114,000 |
| 7 | Family Practice Physician | $197,124 | $123,000 |
| 8 | Internal Medicine Physician | $192,843 | $118,000 |
| 9 | General Internist | $177,672 | $108,000 |
| 10 | Optometrist | $159,017 | $85,000 |
| 11 | Associate Dentist | $137,337 | $89,000 |
| 12 | Dentist | $137,069 | $89,000 |
| 13 | Senior Solutions Architect | $117,640 | $87,000 |
| 14 | Software Engineer Lead | $112,525 | $85,000 |
| 15 | Principal Engineer | $112,177 | $80,000 |
| 16 | Technical Delivery Manager | $111,589 | $81,000 |
| 17 | Associate Professor | $110,709 | $53,000 |
Methodology for Identifying Lakeland’s Highest Paid Jobs in 2026
To determine the highest-paying careers in Lakeland, we analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and additional sources.
The data science team at Zippia enhances this information by continuously monitoring millions of job postings daily to extract published salaries. We then correlate these salaries with corresponding companies, locations, and job titles in various datasets.
Finally, we calculate a weighted average of these inputs to generate an estimated salary for each job title in Lakeland.
In total, our analysis encompassed over 1,000 job titles in Lakeland to pinpoint the roles that command the highest salaries.
Editor’s Note: Article updated for 2026. This marks our eighth ranking of the highest-paying jobs in Lakeland.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
