In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Florida earned $28.84 an hour against $26.86 in the private sector, a gap of +7%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $56.17 against $66.62 privately (-16%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Finance (-23%), Software and IT (-22%), and Healthcare (-6%), and government pay holds up best in Protective service (+58%) and Skilled trades (+27%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Florida by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $28.84 | $26.86 | +7% | $56.17 | $66.62 | -16% |
| Admin and clerical | $24.18 | $21.49 | +13% | $42.48 | $40.83 | +4% |
| Education | $26.86 | $21.49 | +25% | $42.98 | $44.05 | -2% |
| Engineering | $48.35 | $48.43 | 0% | $73.35 | $83.48 | -12% |
| Finance | $31.16 | $40.29 | -23% | $58.16 | $91.25 | -36% |
| Healthcare | $35.08 | $37.37 | -6% | $80.02 | $83.27 | -4% |
| Legal | $42.98 | $42.98 | 0% | $86.93 | $128.94 | -33% |
| Management | $40.29 | $40.29 | 0% | $73.93 | $97.68 | -24% |
| Protective service | $32.23 | $20.39 | +58% | $60.39 | $50.95 | +19% |
| Skilled trades | $28.65 | $22.62 | +27% | $42.98 | $41.20 | +4% |
| Software and IT | $37.61 | $48.35 | -22% | $61.44 | $85.96 | -29% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.