Registered Nurses salary in Tampa, FL
Median pay for registered nurses in Tampa, FL: $82,320/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $65,340 – $105,770 · about 34,240 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$1,510 (+2%).
What it's really worth in Tampa
With Tampa's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $82,320 has the buying power of about $80,333 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $67,197 · median home $360,738 · median rent $2,018/mo.
How Tampa ranks for this job
On raw pay, Tampa, FL is 75th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Tampa's cost of living is applied, it ranks 154th.
The headline number flatters Tampa. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, registered nurses here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Tampa
A median home in Tampa, FL costs $360,738 — about 4.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,018/mo works out at 29% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Tampa.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Tampa | Rent vs Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +127% | 1.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +120% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +118% | 1.8× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +92% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in FL
| Metro | Median pay | vs Tampa | Rent vs Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | $83,590 | +2% | 1.3× |
| Cape Coral, FL | $82,810 | +1% | 0.9× |
| Naples, FL | $81,850 | −1% | 1.4× |
| Gainesville, FL | $81,430 | −1% | 0.8× |
Staying in FL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Tampa
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- State of Florida · Government
- MacDill Air Force Base · Government
- Tampa General Hospital · Healthcare
- BayCare Health System · Healthcare
- Hillsborough County Schools · Education
Other jobs in Tampa
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.