Orderlies Salary
Orderlies in Florida make a median of $35,420 a year, or about $17.03 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $35,930 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 65.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Florida?
About orderlies
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What this looks like in Florida
Orderlies pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 65.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level orderlies (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $6K spread from bottom to top.
Orderlies salary by metro in Florida
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $39K | +9% | 190 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $36K | +1% | 1,210 |
| Port St. Lucie | $36K | +1% | 80 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $35K | +0% | 150 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $35K | -0% | 820 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $35K | -1% | 580 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $35K | -2% | 90 |
| Jacksonville | $34K | -3% | 350 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $34K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track orderlies salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a orderly afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 65.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for orderlies in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new orderlies typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,957/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is orderly a high-paying job in Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for orderlies?
Florida pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do orderlies make in Florida?
The median is $35,420 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,610, and experienced orderlies can clear $38,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,542/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 65.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a orderlies salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median orderlies salary is worth about $35,930 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do orderlies get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.