Registered Nurses in the state of Florida earn an average salary of $67,610 per year (or $32.50 per hour) as of May 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 80% of Florida RNs earn between $48,020 and $91,510.
On average, RNs in Florida earn about 13% less than the national average salary for nurses, at $77,460 (or $37.24 per hour).
Among other factors, the cost of living in a given region can impact what nurses tend to earn working in those areas. With a Cost of Living Index of 99 in Q3 2020, Florida nurses face prices for things like food, housing, and transportation that are roughly in the middle compared to other states. So, their earnings are still a bit lower than average even when adjusted for cost of living.
| State | Avg. RN Salary | Avg. RN Salary (adjusted for COL) |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $67,610 | $68,293 |
| Nationwide | $77,460 | - |
RN salary across Florida cities
Florida’s nursing salaries vary quite a bit across the state. The highest-paying region is Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, with an average RN salary of $76,040. Other major metro areas like Miami (avg RN salary $69,920) and Tampa (avg RN salary $69,440) are also above the typical statewide nurse earnings. At the bottom is Sebring, where the average RN salary is just $46,520, however the total number of nurses employed in this area is very low.
| FL Metro Area | Avg. RN Salary |
|---|---|
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $76,040 |
| Gainesville, FL | $70,940 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $70,810 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $69,920 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $69,440 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $69,830 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $69,230 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $68,070 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | $67,770 |
| The Villages, FL | $66,570 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $66,100 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $65,140 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $64,990 |
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $63,850 |
| Ocala, FL | $63,420 |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $63,360 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $63,260 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $63,010 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $61,870 |
| Panama City, FL | $61,010 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $60,460 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $58,700 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | $55,960 |
| Sebring, FL | $46,520 |
RN salary vs similar healthcare professions in Florida
At $67,610 average annual salary, Registered Nurses in Florida tend to earn a fair amount less than many other types of healthcare workers in the state. Across all these professions, “Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations” workers in Florida earn an average salary of $78,070, according to the BLS.
Here’s how a sample of these other types of healthcare professions compare to RN salaries in Florida:
| Profession | # Employed in FL | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 181,670 | $67,610 |
| LPNs / LVNs | 45,960 | $45,580 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 29,800 | $33,330 |
| Dental Hygienists | 11,310 | $66,170 |
| Physical Therapists | 13,750 | $86,090 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 12,310 | $101,510 |
Job outlook for Registered Nurses in Florida
There are over 180,000 Registered Nurses and more than 12,000 Nurse Practitioners in the state of Florida. Yet, these jobs are still projected to increase by 16% from 2018 to 2028 – an increase of 30,530 new RNs in the state in the coming years.
RNs needed in Florida
Join Incredible Health for free to get interview requests from top Florida hospitals.
