Galen Health Institutes-Gainesville
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Nursing Programs in Gainesville, FL (2026)
Gainesville, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $2,563 to $14,353 per year for indexed programs. Gainesville has a population of about 143,611. Median household income is $45,611 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Gainesville, FL metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $225,280 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Gainesville
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Gainesville. Distances are calculated from Gainesville city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Gainesville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Santa Fe College
Published tuition$2,563 - $14,353
Online programsYes
North Florida Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Marion Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Taylor College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Gainesville
Gainesville is part of the Gainesville, FL metro area (BLS area code 23540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $81,870 | Gainesville, FL | $84,664 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $59,970 | Gainesville, FL | $62,017 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $225,280 | Gainesville, FL | $232,968 |
| Nurse Midwife | $127,460 | FL statewide | $131,810 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $134,270 | Gainesville, FL | $138,852 |
| Nursing Assistant | $36,990 | Gainesville, FL | $38,252 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Gainesville at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 143,611 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $45,611 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 51.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 96.7 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Alachua County | 2,836 workers, 82 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Gainesville-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Ocala, FL – 36.6 mi away (165,111 pop)
- Lake City, FL – 39.5 mi away (26,128 pop)
- Palatka, FL – 41.1 mi away (23,740 pop)
- Jacksonville, FL – 60.3 mi away (1,141,459 pop)
- Saint Augustine, FL – 63.9 mi away (76,129 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Gainesville, FL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Gainesville. The closest is Galen Health Institutes-Gainesville in Gainesville, FL (3.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Taylor College (37.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Gainesville?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Gainesville are: Nurse Anesthetist ($225,280), Nurse Practitioner ($134,270), Nurse Midwife ($127,460). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Ocala instead of Gainesville?
Ocala, FL is 36.6 miles from Gainesville and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Gainesville an affordable place to study nursing?
Gainesville’s median household income of $45,611 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gainesville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Florida
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Gainesville
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Gainesville:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.