CareerSource North Central Florida - labor-market Dashboard
Labor Market Dashboard
Labor Force
Labor Force
198,468
Regional Employment
205,347
Jobs Trend and Forecast
Source: Lightcast
Unemployment and Labor Force Participation Rates
Label Unemployment Rate, colour darkcyan
Unemployment Rate
Label Labor Force Participation Rate, colour chocolate
Labor Force Participation Rate
2021
4.2%
56.5%
2022
3.2%
56.5%
2023
3.3%
56.6%
2024
3.8%
55.6%
2025
4.6%
55.3%
January 2026
5.7%
54.6%
February 2026
5.5%
55.3%
March 2026
5.2%
55.2%
April 2026
5.3%
55.5%
May 2026
5.3%
54.5%
Source: Lightcast
Occupation Concentration
Profession | 2025 Jobs | 2025 Median Earnings | 2025 Average Hourly Wage | 2025 LQ (Occupation Concentration) | 2020 Jobs | 2020-2025 Change in Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office and Administrative Support | 27,612 | $40,640 | $21.79 | 1.08 | 29,807 | -2,195 |
| Sales and Related | 27,435 | $37,803 | $32.76 | 0.93 | 24,095 | 3,341 |
| Management | 24,467 | $75,236 | $47.11 | 1.01 | 18,452 | 6,015 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 21,657 | $80,963 | $49.61 | 1.64 | 18,896 | 2,760 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 18,115 | $32,244 | $17.31 | 1.07 | 15,486 | 2,629 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 18,108 | $54,489 | $33.78 | 1.44 | 18,584 | -476 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 17,600 | $39,921 | $22.39 | 0.83 | 15,099 | 2,501 |
| Business and Financial Operations | 16,405 | $70,168 | $44.44 | 0.78 | 14,383 | 2,022 |
| Healthcare Support | 11,258 | $37,112 | $19.22 | 1.01 | 9,431 | 1,827 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 9,537 | $35,086 | $18.6 | 1.09 | 9,648 | -111 |
| Construction and Extraction | 9,493 | $47,225 | $25.12 | 0.83 | 8,656 | 837 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 8,793 | $50,110 | $26.53 | 0.95 | 8,003 | 791 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 8,260 | $45,432 | $32.19 | 1 | 5,905 | 2,355 |
| Personal Care and Service | 7,695 | $31,589 | $19.36 | 0.85 | 7,047 | 648 |
| Protective Service | 7,095 | $50,028 | $25.88 | 1.49 | 6,209 | 886 |
| Production | 6,047 | $39,996 | $22.22 | 0.54 | 5,838 | 209 |
| Community and Social Service | 5,469 | $48,150 | $26.44 | 1.28 | 4,681 | 788 |
| Computer and Mathematical | 4,702 | $77,554 | $42.69 | 0.66 | 4,351 | 351 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 3,149 | $31,555 | $19.13 | 1.87 | 2,596 | 554 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 3,065 | $67,022 | $41.2 | 1.22 | 2,965 | 100 |
| Architecture and Engineering | 2,608 | $78,360 | $43.88 | 0.73 | 2,582 | 26 |
| Legal | 1,728 | $81,119 | $52.67 | 0.84 | 1,588 | 140 |
| Military-only | 440 | $52,001 | $30.74 | 0.42 | 426 | 14 |
Source: Lightcast
Educational Attainment by Race
Label 2024 Less Than High School, colour darkcyan
2024 Less Than High School
Label 2024 High School Diploma, colour chocolate
2024 High School Diploma
Label 2024 College Degree, colour mediumseagreen
2024 College Degree
Source: Lightcast
Jobs By Industry
Industry Characteristics
Industry | 2025 Jobs | 2025 Average Earnings Per Worker | 2025 LQ (Industry Concentration) | 2020 Jobs | 2020-2025 % Change in Jobs | 2025 GRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 54,130 | $97,752 | 1.81 | 54,619 | -0.9% | 6096.49M |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 36,068 | $79,905 | 1.27 | 30,076 | 19.92% | 3595.92M |
| Retail Trade | 20,363 | $46,259 | 1.08 | 19,022 | 7.05% | 2088.14M |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 18,225 | $31,793 | 1.07 | 15,417 | 18.21% | 984.19M |
| Construction | 9,551 | $71,624 | 0.8 | 8,897 | 7.36% | 1028.28M |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 9,197 | $98,716 | 0.65 | 8,402 | 9.47% | 1465.63M |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9,059 | $37,823 | 0.89 | 8,667 | 4.52% | 506.93M |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,732 | $49,867 | 0.74 | 10,755 | -18.81% | 746.94M |
| Manufacturing | 7,763 | $89,281 | 0.51 | 7,271 | 6.76% | 1583.47M |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 6,288 | $68,010 | 0.7 | 5,246 | 19.87% | 711.78M |
| Finance and Insurance | 4,676 | $110,522 | 0.57 | 4,876 | -4.09% | 1418.63M |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4,460 | $49,200 | 1.91 | 3,462 | 28.83% | 503.32M |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,830 | $118,216 | 0.53 | 3,797 | 0.87% | 1229.86M |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 3,397 | $65,853 | 0.95 | 3,210 | 5.81% | 1154.8M |
| Educational Services | 3,217 | $50,070 | 0.6 | 2,781 | 15.69% | 197.4M |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,948 | $58,806 | 0.78 | 2,242 | 31.49% | 269.77M |
| Information | 1,810 | $92,627 | 0.5 | 1,683 | 7.58% | 673.31M |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 862 | $104,684 | 0.28 | 617 | 39.71% | 139.15M |
| Utilities | 475 | $161,918 | 0.66 | 524 | -9.33% | 313.6M |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 240 | $116,276 | 0.35 | 175 | 37.01% | 81.84M |
Source: Lightcast
Number of Firms by Industry
NAICS | Description | 2024 Payrolled Business Locations |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 206 |
| 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 7 |
| 22 | Utilities | 30 |
| 23 | Construction | 1,067 |
| 31 | Manufacturing | 330 |
| 42 | Wholesale Trade | 380 |
| 44 | Retail Trade | 1,458 |
| 48 | Transportation and Warehousing | 241 |
| 51 | Information | 233 |
| 52 | Finance and Insurance | 464 |
| 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 551 |
| 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,458 |
| 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 53 |
| 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 774 |
| 61 | Educational Services | 202 |
| 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,492 |
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 172 |
| 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 1,037 |
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 837 |
| 90 | Government | 288 |
| 99 | Unclassified Industry | 219 |
Source: Lightcast
Industry Characteristics
Industry | 2025 Jobs | 2025 Average Earnings Per Worker | 2025 LQ (Industry Concentration) | 2020 Jobs | 2020-2025 % Change in Jobs | 2025 GRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 42,383 | $103,321 | 1.83 | 43,050 | -1.55% | 4924.33M |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 30,780 | $83,536 | 1.4 | 25,172 | 22.28% | 3214.28M |
| Retail Trade | 14,418 | $45,228 | 0.99 | 13,633 | 5.75% | 1423.49M |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 13,910 | $32,304 | 1.06 | 11,407 | 21.95% | 751.75M |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7,927 | $100,903 | 0.72 | 7,369 | 7.58% | 1296.45M |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7,125 | $50,945 | 0.78 | 7,502 | -5.03% | 637.83M |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6,949 | $38,144 | 0.88 | 6,761 | 2.78% | 386.07M |
| Construction | 6,587 | $73,812 | 0.71 | 6,338 | 3.92% | 718.83M |
| Manufacturing | 4,316 | $95,070 | 0.37 | 4,139 | 4.28% | 966.59M |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 4,215 | $64,250 | 0.61 | 3,310 | 27.33% | 371.38M |
| Finance and Insurance | 3,906 | $112,239 | 0.61 | 4,140 | -5.64% | 1169.01M |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2,928 | $44,837 | 1.62 | 1,641 | 78.43% | 253.12M |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 2,905 | $68,077 | 1.05 | 2,819 | 3.04% | 915.8M |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,801 | $129,683 | 0.5 | 2,713 | 3.26% | 962.72M |
| Educational Services | 2,656 | $51,552 | 0.64 | 2,361 | 12.52% | 169.25M |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 2,494 | $63,394 | 0.85 | 1,964 | 27% | 242.54M |
| Information | 1,683 | $94,966 | 0.6 | 1,529 | 10.08% | 640.61M |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 695 | $106,319 | 0.29 | 504 | 37.75% | 106.39M |
| Utilities | 334 | $176,585 | 0.6 | 401 | -16.71% | 224.77M |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 6 | $154,733 | 0.01 | 34 | -81.57% | 7.68M |
Source: Lightcast
Wages
Average Annual Wage
$74.5K
Below National Average
17.8%
Annual Wage Ranges by Occupation (25th-75th Percentile)
Legal
$49,939
$138,502
Management
$40,753
$126,887
Architecture and Engineering
$57,679
$113,862
Computer and Mathematical
$54,135
$110,721
Business and Financial Operations
$48,317
$103,008
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
$61,531
$102,018
Life, Physical, and Social Science
$46,285
$100,096
Military-only
$33,062
$82,071
Educational Instruction and Library
$41,553
$77,576
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
$26,482
$72,242
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
$38,005
$65,886
Sales and Related
$29,340
$65,456
Construction and Extraction
$35,562
$60,404
Protective Service
$45,519
$58,137
Community and Social Service
$41,714
$57,458
Production
$33,803
$51,790
Office and Administrative Support
$34,099
$50,936
Transportation and Material Moving
$31,679
$50,044
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
$27,066
$43,952
Healthcare Support
$33,601
$42,278
Personal Care and Service
$26,418
$41,899
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
$28,900
$39,509
Food Preparation and Serving Related
$28,432
$37,982
Source: Lightcast
Skills
Top 20 Skills
Skill | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings | Latest 30 Days Unique Postings % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 970 | 4.1% |
| Lifting Ability | 852 | -1.7% |
| Surgery | 817 | 13.2% |
| Merchandising | 577 | -6.5% |
| Marketing | 568 | 1.6% |
| Auditing | 562 | -8.2% |
| Medical Records | 552 | 11.1% |
| Treatment Planning | 552 | 19% |
| Cardiology | 535 | 19.4% |
| Pediatrics | 530 | 31.2% |
| Workflow Management | 526 | -6.2% |
| Radiology | 510 | 9.2% |
| Project Management | 486 | -2.4% |
| Good Driving Record | 458 | 1.3% |
| Family Medicine | 433 | 37.9% |
| Internal Medicine | 417 | 31.5% |
| Inventory Management | 410 | -6% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 394 | 13.2% |
| Construction | 390 | -3% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 363 | -3.2% |
Source: Lightcast
Employer Demand
Job Postings 5-Year Trend
Source: Lightcast
Job Postings vs. Hires by Occupation
Occupation | Total Postings | Total Hires | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 38,247 | 7,745 | 30,502 |
| Sales and Related | 9,313 | 11,802 | -2,489 |
| Management | 8,660 | 5,572 | 3,088 |
| Office and Administrative Support | 6,898 | 11,712 | -4,814 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 6,058 | 10,528 | -4,470 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 4,808 | 3,789 | 1,019 |
| Healthcare Support | 4,542 | 7,218 | -2,676 |
| Business and Financial Operations | 4,156 | 4,852 | -696 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 3,900 | 22,599 | -18,699 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 2,804 | 5,378 | -2,574 |
| Construction and Extraction | 2,391 | 4,421 | -2,030 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 2,324 | 4,419 | -2,095 |
| Community and Social Service | 2,289 | 2,059 | 230 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 2,053 | 805 | 1,248 |
| Production | 1,995 | 2,773 | -778 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 1,862 | 1,632 | 230 |
| Computer and Mathematical | 1,759 | 1,662 | 97 |
| Architecture and Engineering | 1,749 | 714 | 1,035 |
| Protective Service | 1,289 | 2,360 | -1,071 |
Educational Pipeline
Degrees by Program
Regional Higher Ed Institutions
Description | 2024 Completions | 2011-2024 Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 24,678 | 16.9K 24.7K |
| Health Professions and Related Programs | 3,439 | 2.4K 3.4K |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 2,806 | 2.3K 2.8K |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2,435 | 2K 2.4K |
| Engineering | 2,355 | 1.5K 2.4K |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences | 2,198 | 0.4K 2.2K |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services | 1,462 | 0.2K 1.5K |
| Social Sciences | 1,409 | 1.3K 1.4K |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs | 1,111 | 0.7K 1.1K |
| Education | 936 | 0.7K 0.9K |
Source: Lightcast
Degrees by Institution
Regional Higher Ed Institutions
Institution | 2024 Completions | 2011-2024 Trend |
|---|---|---|
| University of Florida | 19,056 | 13.6K 19.1K |
| Santa Fe College | 3,271 | 2K 3.3K |
| University of Florida-Online | 1,034 | 0K 1K |
| Florida Gateway College | 959 | 1K 1K |
| Summit Salon Academy-Gainesville | 87 | 0K 0.1K |
| Galen Health Institutes-Gainesville | 84 | 0K 0.1K |
| Florida School of Massage | 73 | 0K 0.1K |
| North Florida Technical College | 67 | 0.2K 0.1K |
| Academy for Five Element Acupuncture | 36 | 0K 0K |
| Florida School of Traditional Midwifery | 11 | 0K 0K |
Source: Lightcast