How Much Does an RN Make in Lakeland, FL in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Lakeland, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Florida.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lakeland · Winter Haven metro area
A typical RN in Lakeland, Florida earns $40.40 per hour, or $84,030 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,003 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,610, and the top 10% of earners make over $102,070.
That pay is right at the Florida figure of $84,190 and 14% below the national figure of $97,550. Lakeland ranks 7th of 22 metro areas in Florida for RN pay. About 6,140 RNs work in the Lakeland · Winter Haven area. Lakeland is part of the Lakeland · Winter Haven metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Winter Haven share these figures.
RN pay in Lakeland at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.40 an hour, or $84,030 a year.
- That is right at the Florida figure, ranking 7th of 22 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,610; the top 10% make over $102,070.
- Typical pay rose +44% from 2015 to 2025, against +35% for Florida as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Lakeland?
Pay in Lakeland runs from entry-level positions at around $31.06 an hour to more than $49.07 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Florida and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Lakeland
| Career stage | Lakeland | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,610$31.06 an hour | $67,970$32.68 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $75,640$36.36 an hour | $78,660$37.82 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $84,030$40.40 an hour | $84,190$40.48 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $93,680$45.04 an hour | $101,180$48.64 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $102,070$49.07 an hour | $120,330$57.85 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lakeland · Winter Haven area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Lakeland
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Lakeland · Winter Haven area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Lakeland was $58,420 a year. By 2025 it had reached $84,030, a change of +44%, compared with +35% for Florida over the same years.
How Lakeland compares with other Florida cities
Marco Island pays RNs the most in Florida at $93,330 a year, $9,300 more than Lakeland. The lowest-paying area in the state is Panama City at $75,310.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lakeland | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Island metro incl. Naples | $93,330 | $44.87 | +11% | 3,110 |
| 2 | Miami metro incl. West Palm Beach · Fort Lauderdale | $91,380 | $43.93 | +9% | 61,670 |
| 3 | Sarasota metro incl. North Port · Bradenton | $86,130 | $41.41 | +2% | 8,380 |
| 4 | Sebring | $85,690 | $41.20 | +2% | 930 |
| 5 | Clearwater metro incl. St. Petersburg · Tampa | $85,470 | $41.09 | +2% | 38,720 |
| 6 | Ormond Beach metro incl. Deltona · Daytona Beach | $84,180 | $40.47 | 0% | 6,600 |
| 7 | Lakeland metro incl. Winter Haven | $84,030 | $40.40 | this city | 6,140 |
| 8 | Orlando | $83,550 | $40.17 | -1% | 30,150 |
| 9 | Jacksonville | $83,520 | $40.15 | -1% | 18,940 |
| 10 | Cape Coral metro incl. Fort Myers | $82,860 | $39.84 | -1% | 8,700 |
| 11 | Port St. Lucie | $82,090 | $39.47 | -2% | 5,310 |
| 12 | Gainesville | $81,870 | $39.36 | -3% | 7,470 |
| 13 | Vero Beach metro incl. West Vero Corridor · Sebastian | $81,300 | $39.09 | -3% | 1,880 |
| 14 | Destin metro incl. Fort Walton Beach · Crestview | $81,260 | $39.07 | -3% | 1,900 |
| 15 | Titusville | $80,900 | $38.89 | -4% | 5,440 |
| 16 | Punta Gorda | $80,410 | $38.66 | -4% | 1,430 |
| 17 | Tallahassee | $79,430 | $38.19 | -5% | 3,400 |
| 18 | Ocala | $79,230 | $38.09 | -6% | 3,040 |
| 19 | Homosassa Springs | $78,080 | $37.54 | -7% | 890 |
| 20 | Ferry Pass | $77,890 | $37.45 | -7% | 5,070 |
| 21 | The Villages metro incl. Wildwood | $77,110 | $37.07 | -8% | 960 |
| 22 | Panama City Beach metro incl. Panama City | $75,310 | $36.21 | -10% | 1,610 |
Every metro area in Florida with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Florida typical pay $84,190
Is Lakeland a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Lakeland earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $84,030 a year, 14% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lakeland · Winter Haven area, about 23 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Lakeland, FL?
- A typical RN in Lakeland earns $84,030 a year, or $40.40 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,610 and the top 10% earn over $102,070.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Lakeland?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Lakeland is $40.40. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.06, and the top 10% earn over $49.07 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Lakeland?
- Entry-level RN positions in Lakeland typically offer around $31.06 an hour, or $64,610 a year.
- Is RN pay in Lakeland higher than in the rest of Florida?
- Lakeland pay is right at the Florida figure of $84,190 a year, ranking 7th of 22 metro areas in the state. Marco Island pays the most in Florida at $93,330.