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What to Pay a Registered Nurse in Tampa, FL (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$80,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$70K–$92K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.3%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~24
Tampa metro average
To hire a Registered Nurse in Tampa at market, plan on a base salary range of $70,000 to $92,000, with $80,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 24 days, expect to lead at $92K–$106K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Florida does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RN pay range in Tampa

Three pay positions, modeled against current Tampa market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$62K–$70K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Tampa average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$76K–$84.8K
Default for most Tampa employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~24 days. A range width of ~30% (min $70,000 to max $92,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$87.2K–$106K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

RN salary percentile distribution in Tampa, FL

Where the Tampa market actually sits for RN base pay.

10th $62K
25th $70K
Median $80K
75th $92K
90th $106K

Most Tampa employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($80,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $70,000 and a max of $92,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Florida pay transparency compliance for RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a RN in Florida.

Not required statewide. Florida has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a RN role in Tampa, a compliant good-faith range looks like $70,000 to $92,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $70,000–$92,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RN employers in Tampa — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring RNs in the Tampa metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
BayCare Health System Health system $80K–$104K Very common ($10K–$18K)
AdventHealth Health system $78K–$102K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Tampa General Hospital Academic medical center / Level I $82K–$106K Common ($8K–$15K)
HCA Florida (West Florida Healthcare) Health system $78K–$100K Very common ($12K–$20K)
Johns Hopkins All Children's Pediatric specialty $82K–$106K Common ($8K–$15K)

RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Tampa

How hard is it to fill a RN role in Tampa.

~24
Avg Days to Fill
~2,900
Active Postings
~31,200
Tampa RN Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Tampa RN market driven by BayCare Health System, AdventHealth, Tampa General, and HCA Florida.

Skill premiums RN candidates command in Tampa, FL

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN +8–12% Very high
CEN + trauma (TGH Level I) +6–10% Very high
CNOR +8–12% Very high
Pediatric (Hopkins All Children's) +6–10% Very high

RN total compensation in Tampa — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for RNs in Tampa. "Prevalence" reflects share of Tampa disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Tampa Postings
Base salary $80,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~88%
Sign-on bonus $10,000–$20,000 ~76%
Certification pay +5–12% premium ~54%
Tuition reimbursement $2,500–$4,500/yr ~54%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$100K–$125K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

RN pay by setting in Tampa — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RN range splits by employer type in the Tampa metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (med-surg) $76,000 $68K–$88K Moderate
ICU / Critical care $92,000 $82K–$106K Very high
Emergency department $88,000 $78K–$102K Very high
Level I trauma (TGH) $96,000 $86K–$110K Very high
Ambulatory / clinic $68,000 $62K–$78K Moderate

RN salary in Tampa vs. other Florida and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Tampa Hiring Difficulty
Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, FL $80,000 — Above national avg
Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, FL $78,000 −2.5% Moderate
Miami–Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,000 +6.3% Above national avg
Jacksonville, FL $78,000 −2.5% Moderate
Florida statewide $76,000 −5.0% —
U.S. national $93,600 — —

FAQ: hiring a Registered Nurse in Tampa, FL

Market median is $80,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $80,000 — typically $70,000 to $92,000. To lead the market, plan on $92K–$106K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Florida. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $70,000–$92,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$72,000 falls below the Tampa market median of $80,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 76% of Tampa metro RN postings include a sign-on bonus. BayCare and HCA Florida lead with $10K–$20K offers.
Average fill time is approximately 24 days in the Tampa metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($92K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($70K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Tampa-metro posting volume: BayCare Health System, AdventHealth, Tampa General Hospital, HCA Florida (West Florida Healthcare), Johns Hopkins All Children's lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RN in Tampa — for example, $70,000 to $92,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Florida has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related RN pay benchmarks — Florida metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RN pay benchmark — Orlando, FL → RN pay benchmark — Jacksonville, FL → RN pay benchmark — Miami, FL → All RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Tampa
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Tampa → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Tampa → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.