Salary guide, May 2025
Validation Engineer pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Industrial Engineers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL was $100,670 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $78,520 and $123,830.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL median is $1,770 below the national median of $102,440, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $62,770 | $78,520 | $100,670 | $123,830 | $144,030 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30.18 | $37.75 | $48.40 | $59.53 | $69.25 |
BLS estimated 2,090 workers employed in this occupation in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Location quotient: 0.61.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 | $159,860 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.76 | $40.19 | $49.25 | $62.14 | $76.85 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Validation Engineer median is $100,670. The all-occupations median in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $48,940. Ratio: 2.06 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.61 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $78,300 | $100,090 | $115,640 |
| May 2025 | $78,520 | $100,670 | $123,830 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2112 Industrial Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $96,470 | $79,800 to $121,370 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $94,370 | $76,300 to $116,940 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metropolitan area tracks Validation Engineers through the Industrial Engineers occupation, SOC 17-2112. This role currently commands a median annual wage of $100,670. The local data shows a medianChange of 580 compared to the May 2024 figure of $100,090.
With a middleBandWidth of 45,310, the range for the central 50% of earners stretches from the P25 at $78,520 to the P75 at $123,830. This width illustrates the variance in compensation for specialized technical talent often tasked with critical process validation duties.
Manufacturing Headhunters notes that these professionals conduct IQ/OQ/PQ protocols, process validation, cleaning verification, and computer system validation to satisfy 21 CFR Part 11 mandates. The local median of $100,670 remains below the national median for Industrial Engineers, which stands at $102,440. National industry-specific benchmarks offer higher median pay, including Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $127,140 and Chemical Manufacturing at $118,700, though these figures remain national in scope. The local economy in Tampa reflects a locationQuotient of 0.61, indicating a lower concentration of industrial engineering roles relative to the national average.
Comparisons to nearby metros show varying wage profiles for similar technical work. The Homosassa Springs, FL area reports a median of $96,470, while the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL area reports a median of $94,370, showing a significant medianChange of -10,750 for the latter. Because these BLS figures exclude non-monetary elements like sign-on bonuses, equity, and performance incentives, they serve as a starting point for base pay evaluation. Employers should reconcile these broader occupational medians with the specific technical demands of validation engineering in regulated environments to ensure competitive total compensation packages for specialized hires.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How does the Tampa metro median wage align with national benchmarks?
The Tampa median of $100,670 is slightly lower than the national Industrial Engineer median of $102,440. This gap suggests that local base pay typically falls just below the broader U.S. occupational standard.
Does the SOC 17-2112 occupation accurately capture validation engineering work?
The BLS uses the Industrial Engineer SOC as a broader umbrella for many roles. It does not provide a specific, isolated wage for validation engineering or its associated regulatory duties.
What is the significance of the 45,310 middle-band width in Tampa?
The middle-band width represents the difference between the P25 and P75 percentiles for local compensation. It demonstrates the breadth of experience and skill levels within the local market for this engineering category.
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