Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida (2023)

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

In July, 2020, nurse practitioners in Florida began practicing autonomously without physician oversight. This is good news for residents of The Sunshine State who, according to a recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, have the fifth worse access to primary care in the nation.

The demand for primary care NPs like family nurse practitioners, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners, women’s health nurse practitioners and psychiatric mental health practitioners is so high in Florida because these professionals provide services that are an excellent substitute for the services of higher-cost physicians. When demand is high, salaries follow suit. How much does a nurse practitioner make in Florida? This article provides an in-depth look at nurse practitioner salary in Florida for 2023.

What is the Starting Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Florida?

On average, the entry-level nurse practitioner salary in Florida is a relatively modest $61,990 a year, which works out to $29.80 an hour or $5,170 a month. There’s some variation here: Urbanized areas will typically offer higher starting salaries than more rural areas.

Salary grows with work experience in practically every job. As you gain NP professional experience, you’ll increase your skill sets, particularly if you work with niche populations within your larger population specialty focus. As you gain greater skills, you will become more marketable.

Additionally, under Florida’s new NP practice authority statute, NPs will not be able to independently practice family medicine, general pediatrics or general internal medicine until they’ve accumulated 3,000 hours of experience under physician supervision. Thus, when you’re first starting out as an NP in the Sunshine State, you are essentially banking experience that will enable you to start your own practice and earn a much higher nurse practitioner salary in Florida in a few years. You’re in much the same position as a medical intern or resident whose salary is much lower than a board-certified physician’s.

What is the Average Salary of a Nurse Practitioner in Florida?

What is the average salary of a nurse practitioner in Florida? The average salary of a nurse practitioner in Florida is $104,830, which means NPs earn just under $51 an hour and approximately $8,700 a month. This is approximately twice the average annual pay for all occupations in Florida.

A number of factors influence the average nurse practitioner salary in Florida:

• Experience:

As noted above, the longer you work as a nurse practitioner, the more you can expect to earn.

• Practice setting:

Florida NPs who work in urban medical centers tend to have the highest salaries and the most impressive set of benefits. This is because nurse practitioners who specialize in acute care are trained to perform many of the same procedures such as intubation and central line insertion that physicians perform. NPs who work in clinics in more rural parts of The Sunshine State have the lowest salaries. This is unfortunate because these medically underserved populations probably have the greatest need for NP services.

• Specialty:

The laws of supply and demand apply in healthcare economics the same way they apply in every business, even when that business is designated nonprofit as many healthcare providers are. If fewer professionals able to perform a coveted service exist, then reimbursement for those professionals will be higher. The majority of Florida’s 18,000 nurse practitioners are family nurse practitioners; there are far fewer adult-gerontology NPs, pediatric NPs and psychiatric-mental health NPs, and so practitioners of these specialties tend to earn more.

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida by Years of Experience

By the time you’ve acquired four years of experience, you can expect your nurse practitioner salary in Florida to be in the neighborhood of $96,040—an increase of more than 50 percent over the starting nurse practitioner salary of $61,990. This is a really big salary jump. In 2019, the average pay raise in most American workplaces was 3.1 percent per year.

Thereafter, you can expect to earn more than $100,000 a year once you get five to nine years of NP experience under your belt, close to $125,000 a year with 10 to 19 years of experience and more than $130,000 with 20 or more years of experience.

Why are NPs reimbursed so lucratively in The Sunshine State? As noted previously, it’s because even at this pay range, they function as lower-cost substitutes for high-cost physicians.

In Florida, the demand for primary care providers outstrips the supply. Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that nurse practitioners can manage 80 to 90 percent of the care traditionally provided by primary care physicians with no significant difference in treatment outcome. Additionally, within acute care settings such as hospitals and outpatient surgery centers, NPs often provide the same kinds of services that interns and residents provide in teaching hospitals.

Total Annual Nurse Practitioner Compensation (Including Other Benefits) in Florida

Of course, salary is not the only form of employment compensation. Non-salary compensation in the form of benefits is another way that Florida employers retain capable nurse practitioners. Benefits are not taxed, so this is a way of giving employees access to desirable services those employees would otherwise have to pay taxes on.

Some types of benefits like COBRA healthcare coverage and workers’ compensation insurance are mandated by federal or Florida state law. Many other benefits, however, like healthcare insurance, paid time off and retirement programs, are offered at the discretion of the employer.

If you work for a healthcare-related company within Florida’s private sector, you can expect to receive benefits like paid time off, medical insurance and employee matches to retirement funds that have an average cash value of $44,326 annually. If you work for the federal, Florida state or local government, you can expect to receive benefits that have an average cash value of $63,878 annually. Government jobs typically offer better benefits than private-sector jobs because government jobs usually offer lower salaries.

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida by Practice Setting

Nurse practitioners are cost-effective providers of high-quality care in Florida, and this is true whether they work in primary care, acute care or long-term care settings. Since hospitals and outpatient care centers have the highest operational costs, NP-related cost efficiencies are likely to be highest in these environments, and this may be one reason why NPs are paid so well in hospitals and outpatient care centers: The average nurse practitioner salary in Florida hospitals is $109,200 per year while the nurse practitioner salary in Florida outpatient care centers is $114,730 annually on average.

Nurse practitioners working in physician offices tend to function as extensions of that physician, taking over more mundane functions and freeing that physician up to focus on procedures that reflect his or her specialty training. Physician office-based NPs on average make $98,240 per year, which is 5 percent less than hospital-based NPs. While some NPs employed by universities and professional schools may provide clinical health services to students, the majority work as instructors and researchers. NPs who work in academic environments earn $98,470 annually.

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida by Specialty

1.Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner:

Adult-gerontology NPs fall into two categories. AGNPs who specialize in primary care often end up in the same types of work environments as family nurse practitioners; AGNPs who specialize in acute care tend to work in hospital settings and make slightly more money than primary care AGNPs. On average, AGNPs in Florida make $98,430 per year.

2.Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner:

Aesthetic nurse practitioners are NPs who specialize in the administration of cosmic medical procedures like Botox injections and laser skin treatments. They often pursue the AGNP specialty and have more than 1,000 clinical hours working with a physician who’s board-certified either in plastic surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology or facial plastic surgery. Aesthetic nurse practitioners in Florida earn $93,260 per year on average.

3.Dermatology Nurse Practitioner:

Most dermatology NPs in Florida got their degrees as family or adult-gerontology nurse practitioners and then earned their certification from the Dermatology Nurses Association by completing more than 3,000 hours of clinical practice at the office of a board-certified dermatologist or in a dermatology clinic. Dermatology NPs take home approximately $103,000

4.Emergency Nurse Practitioner:

Although a few schools have begun offering emergency NP tracks, most ENPs are advanced practice nurses who’ve completed an MSN or a DNP in either adult-gerontology or family nurse practice, and who have successfully passed the Emergency Nurse Practitioner Specialty Certification Exam offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board. Annual compensation for ENPs in the state of Florida is approximately $106,000 per year.

5.Family Nurse Practitioner:

Family practice NPs fall on the lower end of the Florida NP compensation scale because it’s the largest NP specialty. Prospective employers understand that they have a larger pool of job applicants to choose among, so they don’t have to use significantly higher compensation as an incentive. The more years of experience an NP has, the higher the compensation package he or she can expect. An FNP may also earn more if he or she has gone to one of the best nurse practitioner programs in Florida specializing in family practice. The average family nurse practitioner salary in Florida is just under $103,000 per year.

6.Neonatal Nurse Practitioner:

Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) provide care and treatment for critically ill newborns. The highest-paid nurse practitioner in Florida is the neonatal nurse practitioner. The average neonatal nurse practitioner salary in Florida is $110,510 annually

Neonatology is one of the least pursued specializations in the NP field, so there are relatively few NP specialists; this drives up demand for existing NNPs and makes their salaries more competitive. The NNP shortage may reflect an issue with nursing education. NNP programs in Florida suffer from a shortage of qualified instructors since NNPs can make so much more money by working in a clinical setting. Additionally, increasing worries about nursing students and potential liability means that fewer and fewer clinical rotations in neonatal intensive care units are available to students in NNP programs.

7.Pediatric Nurse Practitioner:

Pediatric nurse practitioners make up just under 4 percent of the entire NP workforce. The average pediatric nurse practitioner salary in Florida is $98,070 a year. Why do PNPs make less than family nurse practitioners in Florida? It probably has to do with the fact that FNPs can substitute for primary care PNPs because their scope of practice includes the population that primary care PNPs specialize in. FNPs cannot substitute for acute care PNPs since FNPs are not specialists in complex medical procedures, and indeed, there is a significant salary differential between primary care and acute care PNPs: Acute care PNPs make more money.

8.Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP):

The average psychiatric nurse practitioner salary in Florida is slightly more than $108,420 annually. This relatively high compensation reflects the fact that the services they provide are in such high demand.

Florida has a significant shortage of mental health workers. According to statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Sunshine State currently is meeting less than 20 percent of its population’s identified mental health needs. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners can provide many of the same services that psychiatrists provide, particularly in states like Florida where NPs who meet certain eligibility requirements can now practice autonomously.

9.Women's Health Nurse Practitioner:

Women’s health NPs provide a type of care that can also be provided by Family NPs, which is one of the reasons why this specialty is not compensated as highly as some other NP specialties. WHNPs in Florida are also more likely to be found working in private or public service clinics in medically underserved neighborhoods, which don’t pay as well as many other NP employment settings. The average women’s health nurse practitioner salary in Florida is $99,710 a year.

Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida by City

1.Miami:

Seventeen percent of Miami’s population is over the age of 65, and this is the population that’s among the highest utilizers of medical services. Miami is home to The Sunshine State’s largest hospital system. Jackson Health System consists of six medical centers, two long-term care nursing facilities, and networks of urgent care, primary care and specialty care clinics. Jackson Health System is the fifth-largest employer in the greater Miami metropolitan area. Miami nurse practitioners have taken a front-line role in the fight against Covid-19. The average nurse practitioner salary in Miami is $105,250.

2.Tampa:

More than 60 percent of Tampa’s adult population are overweight or obese, which increases the risk of significant health-related issues like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Suicide rates and infant mortality rates are also significantly higher than average in the greater Tampa metropolitan area. Tampa General Hospital, which is operated by Florida Health Sciences Center Inc., serves a dozen counties in west-central Florida. The average salary of a nurse practitioner in Tampa, FL, is $97,960 a year.

3.Orlando:

Orlando is one of the fastest-growing areas in the U.S., and Orlando Health—the company that operates Orlando Regional Health Center—is Central Florida’s fourth-largest employer. The salary of a nurse practitioner in Orlando tops $104,010 annually. Heart disease, adult obesity, high blood pressure, food insecurity and access to mental health services and other health-related services are the top medical issues that residents of the greater Orlando metropolitan area deal with on a daily basis. In areas like Seminole County where there are only 91 physicians for every 100,000 residents, NPs have an important role to play.

4.Jacksonville:

The average NP salary in Jacksonville, FL, is just under $109,050 annually. A 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment identified obesity, poverty and a lack of physical exercise as the biggest health-related concerns in this part of Northern Florida. In particular, preventative care messaging has made little impact on residents, which makes the role of NPs in the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area particularly challenging.

5.Port St. Lucie:

Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast are beset with some of the same problems that are found in other parts of Florida, but the population is far more affluent. Obesity and substance abuse present serious challenges to community health, which has been further exacerbated by The Sunshine State’s Covid-19 crisis. With an aging population and many rural areas, the need for primary care practitioners is dire. The average NP salary in Port St. Lucie, FL, is $119,280 annually.

NP Pay in Florida VS. Other Nursing Careers

In Florida, nurse practitioners earn approximately one-third more than registered nurses without graduate degrees. This pay differential is not as large as the one that exists in many other states, which may act as a deterrent for NPs who need to command large salaries in order to pay off school loans. New state regulations giving Florida NPs increased autonomy are likely to go a long way in attracting more NPs to The Sunshine State.

NP Pay in Florida VS. Other Healthcare Careers

With an average salary of just over $104,000 a year, nurse practitioners are the most highly paid of Florida’s so-called “ancillary” care professionals i.e., providers of healthcare services that are meant to support the work of the primary physician. Now that nurse practitioners will be able to practice autonomously in The Sunshine State, they really can’t be classified as ancillary care professionals any longer.

Why is the Outlook Bright for Nurse Practitioner Salary in Florida?

The demand for nurse practitioners will continue to grow in The Sunshine State over the next 10 years because the need for primary care services is growing. When demand for services increases, payment for those services can be expected to increase as well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage for all occupations in the U.S. is $51, 960. While Florida is not among the states that compensates NP services most highly, the average salary for an NP in Florida is still nearly twice as high as the average wage for all occupations. It will only go up from there.

Summing It Up

How much does a nurse practitioner make in Florida? That depends upon the NP’s workplace, years of experience and professional specialization. In the final analysis, though, the average salary of a nurse practitioner in Florida for 2023 should be only one of the factors you consider when you choose an NP specialization program. The most effective way to increase your compensation once you start working professionally is by pursuing certifications within your specialty that will make you more competitive.

TOP QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY OUR EXPERT

1.How many Nurse Practitioners are currently employed in Florida?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 14,880 NPs working in The Sunshine State.

2.How much does a nurse practitioner make per hour in Florida?

Nurse practitioner salary per hour in the Sunshine State varies with years of professional experience. Beginning NPs can expect to make approximately $29.80 an hour. But by the time you’ve accumulated two decades of experience, you can expect your hourly salary to increase by almost two-thirds to $62.80 an hour. The average nurse practitioner salary per hour in Florida is $50.40.

3.How does the average salary of a nurse practitioner in Florida compare to the average NP salary in the U.S?

NPs in The Sunshine State make approximately 11 percent less than the average NP salary throughout the entire U.S.

4.How much does a family nurse practitioner make in Florida?

The average FNP salary in Florida is $102,950 a year, which works out to $8,580 per month or $49.49 per hour.

5.How much does a psychiatric nurse practitioner make in Florida?

The average PMHNP salary in Florida is $108,420 per year. This amounts to $9,040 per month or $52.13 on an hourly basis.

6.What are the 5 highest paid Nurse Practitioners in Florida?

At $110,510, Neonatal NPs are the highest earners among NPs in Florida, followed by Psychiatric-Mental Health NPs ($108,420), Emergency NPs ($105,800), Dermatology NPs ($103,510) and Family NPs ($102,950.)

7.What are the 5 highest paying cities for Nurse Practitioners in Florida?

With its medical school and associated University of Florida Health System, Sebring is the metropolitan area in Florida with the highest nurse practitioner salary in Florida.

8.How much do Nurse Practitioners earn in the various metros of Florida?

Florida nurse practitioners command the highest salaries in the college town of Sebring where they earn $121,460 annually. In the economically depressed Punta Gorda area, nurse practitioners make $86,800 annually, which is the lowest NP compensation rate in The Sunshine State.

9.Where do the majority of Nurse Practitioners practice in Florida?

Traditionally, most nurse practitioners in Florida have been professionally associated with physicians’ practices. That is likely to change with the recent change in practice authority guidelines. You are likely to see increasing numbers of NPs opening their own practices.

10.What are the approximate number of annual job openings for nurse practitioners in Florida for 2023?

In order to keep up with its current healthcare demands, Florida needs to recruit approximately 1,110 nurse practitioners every year. That means that within five years, healthcare facilities in The Sunshine State will need to hire 5,550 nurse practitioners.

11.What is the job outlook for NPs in Florida?

The job outlook for NPs in Florida is extremely bright. Growth in employment opportunities is likely to increase by more than one-third within the next decade.

Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.