Florida Leads Nation in Workforce Progress for Third Consecutive year
Tallahassee, FL – Florida has been ranked #1 nationally for attracting and developing a skilled workforce for the third year in a row, according to recent rankings. The state also achieved #3 for high-earning job growth.
Florida’s success is highlighted by strong performance in both Large and Mid-Sized Metropolitan statistical Areas (MSAs). Seven of the ten top-scoring Large MSAs are located in Florida:
* Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (#3)
* Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (#4)
* Crestview-Fort walton Beach-Destin (#5)
* North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota (#7)
* Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (#8)
* Lakeland-Winter Haven (#9)
* naples-Marco Island (#10)
Furthermore, four of the ten top-scoring Mid-Sized MSAs are also in Florida:
* Wildwood-the Villages (#1)
* Panama City-Panama City Beach (#4)
* Punta Gorda (#5)
* Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor (#9)
Key Leaders Praise Florida’s Success:
* J. Alex Kelly, Florida Secretary of Commerce: “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, we’re creating opportunities for both job seekers and job creators through a strong focus on education and workforce training.”
* Anastasios Kamoutsas, Commissioner of Education: “This consistent Number 1 ranking is proof that our talent pipeline is delivering results…We’re committed to keeping this momentum going.”
* Ray Rodrigues, State University System Chancellor: “Intentional collaboration between the state’s business leaders and university faculty shaping curriculum” is a key factor. He highlighted a recent $200M investment to recruit and retain world-class faculty.
* Adrienne Johnston, CareerSource Florida President and CEO: “Florida’s top ranking…is a testament to our strategic investments in workforce education.”
Significant Improvements & Investments:
Florida also ranked #6 for education attainment, a substantial betterment under Governor DeSantis’ governance. This progress is attributed to aligning workforce education programs with employer needs through strategic investments.
Since 2019, Governor DeSantis has prioritized workforce education, business development, and infrastructure. This has led to:
* 3.8 million new businesses formed as 2019,with over 360,700 formed in 2025 alone.
* $726.9 million allocated in the FY 2025-2026 budget for workforce education programs.
* Over $291 million awarded through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, creating over 30,000 workforce education opportunities and 40,000 new jobs.
