Florida's average registered nurse salary of $90,650 sits 10.6% below the national mean of $101,420, making it a more affordable hiring market than states like California ($150,280) or New York ($113,440). Florida's pay levels are close to neighboring states such as Georgia ($95,080) and North Carolina ($90,470), so employers recruiting across the Southeast will find broadly similar compensation expectations. If you are competing for nurses who have offers from higher-paying states, be prepared to differentiate on benefits, schedule flexibility, or career development rather than base pay alone.
Registered nurse salary in Florida (2026)
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The average registered nurse salary in Florida is $90,650 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $84,190 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Florida employs 229,940 registered nurses, and the $6,460 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior registered nurses in Florida typically earn around $67,970, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $120,330 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a registered nurse hire in Florida, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $84,190 |
Average Annual Salary | $90,650 |
vs. National Average | 10.6% below the national mean of $101,420 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 229,940 employed registered nurses across Florida.
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Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $67,970 |
25th Percentile | $78,660 |
75th Percentile | $101,180 |
90th Percentile | $120,330 |
Employers setting offers for registered nurses in Florida should expect a wide range depending on experience level, with entry-level candidates clustering near $67,970 and experienced specialists reaching $120,330 or beyond. The spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile spans over $52,000, so anchoring your offer to the specific seniority and specialty of the role will matter more than relying on a single statewide figure.
Registered nurse salary by city in Florida
City | Average Annual Salary |
Naples | $96,750 |
Miami | $94,990 |
Tampa | $92,690 |
Jacksonville | $89,310 |
Orlando | $89,170 |
Employers hiring registered nurses in Florida should factor location into their compensation budgets, as average pay varies by more than $7,500 across the state's major markets. Naples leads at $96,750 while Orlando sits at $89,170, meaning a role in the Naples metro will require a meaningfully higher offer than the same role in Orlando or Jacksonville. If you are hiring across multiple Florida locations, building location-based pay bands will help you stay competitive in each market.
How Florida compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
California | $150,280 | $140,270 |
New York | $113,440 | $109,440 |
Texas | $95,380 | $95,970 |
Georgia | $95,080 | $93,550 |
Florida | $90,650 | $84,190 |
North Carolina | $90,470 | $84,350 |
Florida is a cost-effective market for registered nurse hiring relative to high-cost states like California and New York, which gives employers here a real budget advantage when recruiting locally. Florida's mean of $90,650 sits close to Georgia at $95,080 and North Carolina at $90,470, so compensation expectations across these neighboring states are broadly similar. Employers competing for nurses who might consider relocating to Texas or Georgia should be aware those states carry slightly higher average pay.
Frequently asked questions about registered nurse salary in Florida
How does Florida compare to other states for registered nurse salary?
What is the salary range for a registered nurse in Florida?
The salary range for a registered nurse in Florida runs from $67,970 at the 10th percentile to $120,330 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $78,660 at the 25th percentile and $101,180 at the 75th percentile, which is where most offers for mid-career nurses will land. Use the seniority and specialization of your specific role to determine where within that range your offer should sit.
Registered Nurse salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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