Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Florida make a median of $84,190 a year, or about $40.48 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $85,403 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,658/month, or 29.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in Florida?
About registered nurses
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Florida
Pay for registered nurses in Florida runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,658/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $93K | +11% | 3,110 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $91K | +9% | 61,670 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $86K | +2% | 8,380 |
| Sebring | $86K | +2% | 930 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $85K | +2% | 38,720 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $84K | -0% | 6,600 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $84K | -0% | 6,140 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $84K | -1% | 30,150 |
| Jacksonville | $84K | -1% | 18,940 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $83K | -2% | 8,700 |
| Port St. Lucie | $82K | -2% | 5,310 |
| Gainesville | $82K | -3% | 7,470 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $81K | -3% | 1,880 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $81K | -3% | 1,900 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $81K | -4% | 5,440 |
| Punta Gorda | $80K | -4% | 1,430 |
| Tallahassee | $79K | -6% | 3,400 |
| Ocala | $79K | -6% | 3,040 |
| Homosassa Springs | $78K | -7% | 890 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $78K | -7% | 5,070 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $77K | -8% | 960 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $75K | -11% | 1,610 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 29.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,078/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Florida?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $84K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Florida pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Florida?
The median is $84,190 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,970, and experienced registered nurses can clear $120,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,634/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 29.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses 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 registered nurses salary is worth about $85,403 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses 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.