On this page you will find our report on Registered Nurse salary in Florida, which includes rankings of the state on various parameters, the highest paying cities for RNs in Florida, how cost of living impacts earnings and other relevant details. If you are looking for nursing job opportunities in the state, go to our Remote Nursing Jobs in Florida page to find the latest open positions for RNs.
In Florida, Registered Nurses earn an average of $79,910 per year, ranking the state #28 nationwide, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In comparison, the national average RN salary is $89,010 annually. This means the Florida average is -10% lower when compared to the national average.
Florida, defined by subtropical weather, amusement parks, and popular beaches, is home to 197,630 Registered Nurses. In terms of RN employment levels, Florida has an employment per thousand jobs count of 21 thereby ranking it #26 among all the states.
Florida Rankings
- With an average hourly wage for RNs of $38.4/hour, it ranks at #28 nationwide.
- Florida ranks #28 for the annual average median salary for Registered Nurses.
- Florida ranks #3 for the total number of Registered Nurses employed in the US.
- Florida ranks #44 for the projected demand for new Registered Nurses by 2030.
- With a population of 22,244,823, the state ranks 3 among all states in the country.
Florida RN Salary Adjusted for Cost of Living
According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s (MERIC) 2023 Second Quarter data, Florida has a cost of living index of 101.9 – #30 in the nation. The key drivers of Florida’s steep cost of living are housing, healthcare, and transportation expenses.
After factoring in the cost of living, the real adjusted annual salary for RNs is $78,420 according to our estimates, making it rank #15 nationwide. This adjusted wage gives a more accurate representation of the real salary, or purchasing power, and standard of living RNs can expect in Florida versus other states.
In addition to that, here are the different cost of living indexes (COL) for Florida:
- Grocery index – 101.9
- Housing index – 108.2
- Utility index – 100.0
- Transportation index – 98.8
- Health index – 96.5
It is important to remember that the cost of living index can vary significantly depending on the specific location within Florida, with metro locations typically having a higher index than rural areas.
RN Salaries vs Other Nursing Roles in Florida
Education, certifications and experience play an important role in impacting a nurse’s salary as does job demand. Another factor could be multi-state licensure as that can open up more opportunities for higher paying jobs and career advancement. Here’s a comparison of RN Salary vs other main nursing roles in Florida:
Occupation
Annual Salary
Registered Nurses
$79,910
Physician Assistants
$110,930
Nurse Anesthetists
$174,390
Nurse Midwives
$97,690
Nurse Practitioners
$110,310
Dental Hygienists
$76,100
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$53,780
Top Paying Cities For RNs in Florida
The major metropolitan areas in Florida tend to offer the highest salaries for Registered Nurses in the state. According to the BLS, the top paying metro regions for RNs in Florida are the following:
Area
Annual Salary
Hourly Wage
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL
$82,280
$39.6
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$81,810
$39.3
Gainesville, FL
$80,940
$38.9
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$79,920
$38.4
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$79,120
$38.0
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
$79,110
$38.0
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
$79,100
$38.0
The Villages, FL
$78,510
$37.8
Jacksonville, FL
$78,490
$37.7
Port St. Lucie, FL
$77,230
$37.1
RN Median Salary Range in Florida
The annual median salary for an RN in Florida is $77,710 compared to the annual median salary in the US of $81,220. California’s annual median RN wage is -4% lower than the national median. The median salary provides a standardized midpoint snapshot of RN wages in California versus nationally.
Percentile
Annual Median Salary
Hourly Median Wage
90th Percentile
$100,060
$48
75th Percentile
$83,570
$40
Median
$77,710
$37
25th Percentile
$64,820
$31
Job Outlook for RNs in Florida
Registered nursing is a promising and rapidly growing career path in Florida. According to projections from the latest data from BLS, there were 189,120 RN jobs in Florida in 2020.
By 2030, total RN employment across the state is expected to reach 13,350 reflecting projected growth of 15% over the decade. This translates to 13,250 expected annual job openings for RNs through 2030 in Florida.
Companies Hirings RNs in Florida
Many companies in Florida are recruiting RNs to cater to the state’s diverse population of nearly 22,244,823. Specialized skills such as telehealth are highly sought after, reflecting the changing healthcare landscape.
Per the nationwide findings of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 41% of employers require nurses to have a bachelor’s degree (BSN), and 77% strongly prefer it. In general, registered nurses are more in demand in private practices, public health agencies, primary care clinics and nursing homes, according to AACN.
According to our data, the companies hiring RNs in Florida are:
- CareBridge
- CopilotIQ
- Henry Meds
- Centene
- Optum/UnitedHealthcare
- Florida Blue
- Humana
- DaVita
- Elevance Health
- CVS Health
- Sentara
- CenterWell
- Molina Healthcare
- PM Pediatric Care
- Forward
- Valera Health
- Devoted Health
Summary
To summarize, Registered Nurses (RNs) in Florida earn an average annual salary of $79,910 , which is -10% lower when compared with the national average. The job outlook for RNs in the state is promising, with a projected growth rate of 15% over the coming years. And, it is important to consider the cost of living index in the state, which stands at 101.9, and ranks #30 among all states in the US. This can impact the overall financial wellbeing of an RN.
Please note that the average salary in Florida doesn’t include tax data, which can vary by and within metropolitan areas.