The Gainesville, FL metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Gainesville, FL (2026)
The average salary in the Gainesville metro area is $59,690 a year and the median is $47,020: 8% below the US median and 2% below Florida's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $48,610, 294th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $59,690US $69,770
- Median salary
- $47,020US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $22.61BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 96.7US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Gainesville earn
| Percentile | Gainesville area | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,750 | $30,010 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,730 | $36,290 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $47,020 | $47,880 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $69,940 | $75,410 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $98,720 | $114,550 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $59,690 | $64,670 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Gainesville
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Gainesville area at 96.7 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,730 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items96.7
- Housing (rents)93
- Goods96.2
- Utilities88.2
- Other services98.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 96.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 93 |
| Goods | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Gainesville
Mean annual wage in the Gainesville area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Gainesville area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $88,030 | $101,420 | -13% |
| Software Developer | $123,800 | $148,100 | -16% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $56,820 | $72,650 | -22% |
| Accountant | $81,740 | $94,750 | -14% |
| Electrician | $54,270 | $71,490 | -24% |
| Truck Driver | $51,850 | $59,710 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representative | $41,640 | $46,590 | -11% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,470 | $37,310 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistant | $38,040 | $42,700 | -11% |
| General and Operations Manager | $114,520 | $134,940 | -15% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $48,550 | $53,780 | -10% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $36,690 | $38,730 | -5% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Gainesville
BLS publishes estimates for 340 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Nurse Anesthetist$215,720
- 2Dentist$190,610
- 3Financial Advisor$186,160
- 4Judge$179,360
- 5Physician Assistant$152,920
- 6IT Manager$148,970
- 7Architectural and Engineering Manager$148,740
- 8Industrial Production Manager$137,320
- 9Marketing Manager$137,300
- 10Sales Manager$132,680
Jobs Gainesville pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Financial Advisor$186,160 · +19%
- 2Physician Assistant$152,920 · +8%
- 3Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer, Except Line Installers$74,050 · +8%
- 4First-Line Supervisor of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$57,050 · +7%
- 5Teller$44,870 · +6%
- 6Industrial Production Manager$137,320 · +2%
- 7Bartender$41,160 · +1%
- 8Pest Control Worker$46,760 · +1%
- 9Medical Records Specialist$56,890 · 0%
- 10Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator$48,360 · 0%
Compare
Other metro areas in Florida
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Gainesville: FAQ
What is the average salary in Gainesville?
Across all occupations in the Gainesville, FL metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $59,690 and the median is $47,020, 8% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 152,670 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Gainesville?
Above $47,020 out-earns half of workers in the Gainesville area; the top 25% start at $69,940 and the top 10% at $98,720. Prices run 3% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,730 here.
Is Gainesville expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Gainesville metro is 96.7 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 93.0, goods 96.2, utilities 88.2. At local prices the median wage is worth $48,610, 294th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Gainesville?
By mean annual wage: Nurse Anesthetist ($215,720), Dentist ($190,610), Financial Advisor ($186,160), Judge ($179,360), Physician Assistant ($152,920) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).