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METRO RESEARCH / CBSA 36740

Salary and cost of living in Orlando

Compare occupational wages, regional price levels, housing and travel-to-work indicators across the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area.

At a glance

For the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area (CBSA 36740), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 101.4 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $1,760 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 18.9% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.

Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate

ALL-ITEMS PRICE INDEX101.4U.S. average = 100, BEA 2024
MEDIAN GROSS RENT$1,760/moCensus ACS 2020–2024
45+ MIN COMMUTE SHARE18.9%Non-home commuters, ACS 5-year

How Orlando compares with the other 74 metros

Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.

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Orlando context measures
MeasureOrlandoMiddle value of 75 metrosRank (1st = highest)
BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100)101.498.427th of 75
ACS median gross rent per month$1,760$1,43015th of 75
ACS median household income$78,533$83,46049th of 75
ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips18.9%13.2%17th of 75

The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Providence (101.8), Charleston (101.0), Tampa (100.9). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.

Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Orlando

For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Orlando’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.

Highest relative to other metros

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Orlando highest-ranking occupations
OccupationAdjusted medianRank
Computer Network Architects$154,3715th of 74
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$131,52519th of 74
Information Security Analysts$127,63022nd of 72
Training and Development Specialists$72,48227th of 75
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$35,74328th of 74

Lowest relative to other metros

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Orlando lowest-ranking occupations
OccupationAdjusted medianRank
Electricians$50,10975th of 75
Medical and Health Services Managers$107,86174th of 75
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$45,41674th of 75
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$49,54774th of 75
Registered Nurses$82,38273rd of 74

Occupation wages in the Orlando metro area

Central Florida regional economy with tourism, healthcare and other industries. The BLS geographic unit is Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (CBSA 36740), rather than the limits of Orlando city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.

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Largest occupations in Orlando
OccupationAnnual median wageAdjusted median*Employment estimate
Retail Salespersons$32,290$31,83949,970
Customer Service Representatives$40,530$39,96335,690
Registered Nurses$83,550$82,38230,150
General and Operations Managers$100,440$99,03627,430
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,630$38,09024,080
Office Clerks, General$43,740$43,12822,330
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$46,060$45,41616,380
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$50,250$49,54715,420
Software Developers$129,620$127,80813,440
Construction Laborers$40,880$40,30812,290
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$44,370$43,75012,220
Project Management Specialists$96,390$95,04211,690
Show all 80 occupations, alphabetically

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All 80 occupations in Orlando
OccupationAnnual median wageAdjusted median*Employment estimate
Accountants and Auditors$78,630$77,53110,410
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$96,190$94,8451,000
Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,120$62,2371,320
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$47,850$47,1816,480
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$48,460$47,78211,440
Carpenters$49,750$49,0545,360
Child, Family, and School Social Workers$56,930$56,1341,460
Civil Engineers$100,740$99,3313,720
Compliance Officers$70,930$69,9383,680
Computer Network Architects$156,560$154,3711,730
Computer Programmers$100,450$99,046540
Computer Systems Analysts$100,780$99,3714,200
Computer and Information Systems Managers$171,210$168,8165,190
Construction Laborers$40,880$40,30812,290
Customer Service Representatives$40,530$39,96335,690
Data Scientists$106,590$105,1001,440
Dental Hygienists$92,560$91,2661,490
Electrical Engineers$119,080$117,4152,010
Electricians$50,820$50,1096,970
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$133,390$131,5251,040
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$60,190$59,34810,950
Environmental Engineers$82,500$81,347220
Financial Managers$140,850$138,8816,190
Financial and Investment Analysts$90,020$88,7613,110
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$75,910$74,84910,190
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,180$47,50610,490
General and Operations Managers$100,440$99,03627,430
Graphic Designers$62,360$61,4881,980
Healthcare Social Workers$64,070$63,174Unavailable
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$50,250$49,54715,420
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$36,250$35,7435,480
Human Resources Specialists$65,430$64,5159,380
Industrial Engineers$104,920$103,4532,040
Information Security Analysts$129,440$127,6301,890
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,630$38,09024,080
Lawyers$136,970$135,0555,890
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,030$60,1774,430
Light Truck Drivers$41,870$41,2859,590
Loan Officers$67,460$66,5172,260
Machinists$57,390$56,588710
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$46,060$45,41616,380
Management Analysts$100,420$99,0168,600
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$72,860$71,8418,780
Marketing Managers$143,220$141,2183,420
Mechanical Engineers$103,380$101,9351,720
Medical Assistants$43,800$43,1887,920
Medical and Health Services Managers$109,390$107,8615,180
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,120$59,2795,120
Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,800$90,5164,260
Nurse Practitioners$130,640$128,8131,950
Occupational Therapists$99,520$98,1291,160
Office Clerks, General$43,740$43,12822,330
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$51,020$50,3074,330
Personal Financial Advisors$98,700$97,3202,100
Pharmacists$135,010$133,1222,900
Pharmacy Technicians$43,080$42,4786,060
Physical Therapists$101,530$100,1101,560
Physician Assistants$127,200$125,4221,200
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$55,380$54,6064,040
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$63,010$62,1295,400
Project Management Specialists$96,390$95,04211,690
Public Relations Specialists$67,370$66,4282,320
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,320$75,2532,040
Registered Nurses$83,550$82,38230,150
Respiratory Therapists$82,070$80,9231,190
Retail Salespersons$32,290$31,83949,970
Sales Managers$131,770$129,9286,220
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$61,410$60,55110,740
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$99,990$98,5922,090
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,540$59,6948,650
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$44,370$43,75012,220
Software Developers$129,620$127,80813,440
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$104,250$102,7921,940
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$56,710$55,9173,270
Technical Writers$86,600$85,389470
Training and Development Specialists$73,510$72,4825,380
Web Developers$83,820$82,648650
Web and Digital Interface Designers$76,660$75,5881,240
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$50,200$49,4982,020
Writers and Authors$68,880$67,917390

The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.

Occupational wage distribution examples

These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.

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Occupation / 10th
Occupation10th25thMedian75th90th
Retail Salespersons$28,360$29,250$32,290$36,640$44,480
Customer Service Representatives$31,680$36,880$40,530$47,860$58,340
Registered Nurses$68,890$78,410$83,550$100,240$116,210
General and Operations Managers$47,400$65,800$100,440$156,260$226,870
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$30,510$35,530$38,630$45,580$53,790
Office Clerks, General$30,830$36,180$43,740$52,950$65,170

The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.

Understanding the local context

BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 101.418. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $1,760 (MOE ±$11) and median household income of $78,533 (MOE ±$807) over 2020–2024.

ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 18.9% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.

Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.

Using Orlando figures in a real moving budget

The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 1.4% above the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $1,760 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $21,120. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.

The 18.9% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.

Compare with another metro

Explore two-area price, housing and wage comparisons. These source-backed pages are not rankings of which city is best for you.

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