How Much Does a CNA Make in Gainesville, FL in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Gainesville, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Florida.
BLS OES May 2025 · Gainesville metro area
A typical CNA in Gainesville, Florida earns $17.79 per hour, or $36,990 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,083 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,810, and the top 10% of earners make over $43,330.
That pay is 1% below the Florida figure of $37,510 and 12% below the national figure of $42,260. Gainesville ranks 11th of 22 metro areas in Florida for CNA pay. About 2,890 CNAs work in the Gainesville area.
CNA pay in Gainesville at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.79 an hour, or $36,990 a year.
- That is 1% below the Florida figure, ranking 11th of 22 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,810; the top 10% make over $43,330.
- Typical pay rose +65% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for Florida as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Gainesville?
Pay in Gainesville runs from entry-level positions at around $16.73 an hour to more than $20.83 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Florida and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Gainesville
| Career stage | Gainesville | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $34,810$16.73 an hour | $34,350$16.52 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $36,240$17.43 an hour | $36,040$17.33 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $36,990$17.79 an hour | $37,510$18.03 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $37,820$18.18 an hour | $42,310$20.34 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $43,330$20.83 an hour | $46,790$22.50 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Gainesville area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Gainesville
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Gainesville area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Gainesville was $22,410 a year. By 2025 it had reached $36,990, a change of +65%, compared with +58% for Florida over the same years.
How Gainesville compares with other Florida cities
Naples pays CNAs the most in Florida at $40,260 a year, $3,270 more than Gainesville. The lowest-paying area in the state is Tallahassee at $34,180.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Gainesville | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naples metro incl. Marco Island | $40,260 | $19.36 | +9% | 1,400 |
| 2 | Sarasota metro incl. North Port · Bradenton | $39,950 | $19.21 | +8% | 4,660 |
| 3 | West Vero Corridor metro incl. Vero Beach · Sebastian | $38,530 | $18.52 | +4% | 870 |
| 4 | West Palm Beach metro incl. Miami · Fort Lauderdale | $38,010 | $18.28 | +3% | 23,490 |
| 5 | Jacksonville | $37,760 | $18.15 | +2% | 7,960 |
| 6 | Kissimmee | $37,690 | $18.12 | +2% | 12,000 |
| 7 | Port St. Lucie | $37,690 | $18.12 | +2% | 2,680 |
| 8 | Cape Coral metro incl. Fort Myers | $37,510 | $18.04 | +1% | 3,520 |
| 9 | Tampa metro incl. Clearwater · St. Petersburg | $37,470 | $18.02 | +1% | 15,120 |
| 10 | Palm Bay metro incl. Titusville · Melbourne | $37,070 | $17.82 | 0% | 2,760 |
| 11 | Gainesville | $36,990 | $17.79 | this city | 2,890 |
| 12 | Crestview metro incl. Destin · Fort Walton Beach | $36,970 | $17.77 | 0% | 850 |
| 13 | Ormond Beach metro incl. Deltona · Daytona Beach | $36,950 | $17.76 | 0% | 3,160 |
| 14 | Punta Gorda | $36,700 | $17.64 | -1% | 880 |
| 15 | Ocala | $36,510 | $17.56 | -1% | 1,470 |
| 16 | Brent metro incl. Ferry Pass · Pensacola | $36,430 | $17.51 | -2% | 2,150 |
| 17 | Panama City metro incl. Panama City Beach | $36,420 | $17.51 | -2% | 670 |
| 18 | The Villages metro incl. Wildwood | $36,110 | $17.36 | -2% | 600 |
| 19 | Lakeland metro incl. Winter Haven | $36,000 | $17.31 | -3% | 2,960 |
| 20 | Sebring | $35,650 | $17.14 | -4% | 540 |
| 21 | Homosassa Springs | $34,510 | $16.59 | -7% | 850 |
| 22 | Tallahassee | $34,180 | $16.43 | -8% | 1,520 |
Every metro area in Florida with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Florida typical pay $37,510
Is Gainesville a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Gainesville earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $36,990 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Gainesville area, about 19 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. That makes the local economy more reliant on CNAs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Gainesville, FL?
- A typical CNA in Gainesville earns $36,990 a year, or $17.79 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $34,810 and the top 10% earn over $43,330.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Gainesville?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Gainesville is $17.79. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $16.73, and the top 10% earn over $20.83 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Gainesville?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Gainesville typically offer around $16.73 an hour, or $34,810 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Gainesville higher than in the rest of Florida?
- Gainesville pay is 1% below the Florida figure of $37,510 a year, ranking 11th of 22 metro areas in the state. Naples pays the most in Florida at $40,260.