![U.S. News & World Report just put out its annual rankings for "Best Jobs of 2018" and the Tampa Bay area was ranked 117th out of the 206 highest-paying metro areas. | [Times file, 2014]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//ZodeqaqJMZ_BX6LAErJAVPl2070=/426x0/smart/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/4YEAEZGEWQI6TKTRIBWI6S7HAY.jpg "U.S. News & World Report just put out its annual rankings for \"Best Jobs of 2018\" and the Tampa Bay area was ranked 117th out of the 206 highest-paying metro areas. | [Times file, 2014]")
Florida may have an enviable unemployment rate these days. But when it comes to high-paying jobs, the Sunshine State's economy inspires less jealousy.
In the U.S. News & World Report's rankings for "Best Jobs of 2018" released Wednesday, Florida's metropolitan areas failed to crack the top 50 hubs for jobs that offer good salaries, future opportunities and work-life balance.
The report ranked 206 regions — and the Tampa Bay area clocked in at No. 117.
The metro areas were ordered based on their concentration of "best" jobs. Naples was the highest-ranking Florida region at No. 55, a far cry from the California-dominated top five. San Francisco claimed the No. 1 spot.
"Health care jobs are prominent on our list year after year and are predicted to continue growing rapidly within the job market by 2026," said U.S. News & World Report careers reporter Rebecca Koenig in a prepared statement.
Related coverage: Florida jobs recover from Irma, unemployment rate drops
>
According to the list, the No. 1 best occupation was software developer. Dentists claimed the No. 2 spot, followed by physician assistants, nurse practitioners and orthodontists.
The "best" designation is based on seven factors: an occupation's median salary, employment rate, 10-year growth volume, growth percentage over a decade, future job prospects, work-life balance and stress level.
Though Florida may lag behind other states, its metro areas stood out as hubs for these occupations: Obstetrician and gynecologists in Tampa, veterinarians in Naples, architects in West Palm Beach and physicians in Cape Coral.
Best jobs overall
1. Software developer
2. Dentist
3. Physician assistant
4. Nurse practitioner
5. Orthodontist
Best-paying regions
1. San Francisco
2. San Jose, Calif.
3. San Rafael, Calif.
4. New York City
5. Anchorage, Ak.
Best-paying Florida regions
55. Naples
77. West Palm Beach
85. Cape Coral
97. Jacksonville
101. Miami
116. Tallahassee
117. Tampa
178. Orlando
Best-paying jobs
1. Anesthesiologist
2. Surgeon
3. Obstetrician and gynecologist
4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
5. Orthodontist
Best health care jobs
1. Dentist
2. Physician assistant
3. Nurse practitioner
4. Orthodontist
5. Pediatrician
Best business jobs
1. Statistician
2. Actuary
3. Mathematician
4. Cost estimator
5. Business operations manager
Contact Malena Carollo at mcarollo@tampabay.com or (727) 892-2249. Follow @malenacarollo.
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/342dbaef-506b-4a8f-8fe6-8691912a3456.png "Malena Carollo - Former Times reporter")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/mo8O2_O6WLHEJ8MdE2h1FH4GGzk=/fit-in/1066x600/smart/filters:fill(000)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SA6E6WSG2VAHJD6IJFKLCZEKSQ.jpg "Pinellas man sought in 2016 shooting outside Gandy Boulevard strip club arrested")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/hUQPnUld9-gdETImcgbBbAYPVlo=/1200x675/filters:focal(1925x1305:1935x1295)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LQUPVSSW2E5FATNOL5TKQVGWVA.jpg "Bengals return to AFC Championship Game with rout of Bills")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/x-qG_ERfK5ulY95XkhyH_OjFxvw=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/IFKFNFPWEFBWTEHYHSY3XAIOJQ.JPG "Photos: USF takes down UCF")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/otQQZcCN5dwSxhm_FmmfL0ZaW6I=/1200x675/filters:focal(2505x1155:2515x1145)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/MMX4KIK5Q5BFVJJ5GVG52VTOKE.JPG "USF women dominate in revenge win over UCF")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/sJQni4Ej-GxjghQzjCw5dwxueXY=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/G3EUBOWPMQPSEFJ43GI5D5HPJM.jpg "Is McCarthy right that GOP didn’t raise discretionary spending? Depends on the metric.")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/iN1BcLNwYgKuNNcINrFxbltJGeE=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SBVM3W2XPRHYROUR7FJXWBFO2M.jpg "President Biden should close the Trump-era disposable e-cigarette loophole | Editorial")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/aSQvMP3BXCGXQrOp3xb_hqftP84=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/PDN5CKSUK7PBCH5UXC4JIYEZG4.jpg "My homeowner’s insurance was $5,600. It skyrocketed to $12,500 | Letters")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/JKxeSu3FcBpMAYA6e7hZueWCWXI=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/NHQ77C7XXRCDPLK2WWCDAJF3NQ.jpg "So what does ousted state attorney Andrew Warren do now?")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/PofMCYI48uWYaXIFQ2-3rIi9_ig=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/NYEKUAEU5FPCNYDNUKIFRAH4JM.jpg "Florida’s Catholic bishops: Advocacy for legal protection of life in the womb must continue | Column")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/T5RNVS-2Tb32cmu46sDi1DXGsKk=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/VU5HHMJVXFF2PNGCQ65C5JZZ3U.jpg "Thumbs up to Stammer. Thumbs down to Castor and the Tampa City Council | Editorial")