Healthcare & Medical Jobs in Jacksonville, FL
From Baptist's Southbank campus to Mayo Clinic on San Pablo Road and UF Health in Springfield, Jacksonville's hospitals are among the biggest employers on the First Coast. The guides below cover every healthcare and medical role in Jacksonville, who is hiring, what it pays and how to get in.
Why Healthcare & Medical Work Is Different in Jacksonville
Because Jacksonville and Duval County share one government, the city's hospitals all count as Jacksonville jobs: Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Wolfson Children's Hospital on the Southbank, UF Health Jacksonville in Springfield just north of downtown, Ascension St. Vincent's in Riverside and on the Southside, Baptist South on Old St. Augustine Road and Mayo Clinic Florida off J. Turner Butler Boulevard near the Beaches. Rehab, skilled nursing and hospice add another layer, with Brooks Rehabilitation on Beach Boulevard and Community Hospice & Palliative Care on Sunbeam Road. Federal 2025 wage data puts healthcare practitioners at about 6.9 percent of all jobs in the Jacksonville metro and healthcare support workers at another 3.6 percent.
The systems are still building. Baptist has been adding a four-story emergency tower on its downtown campus with 100 emergency rooms, and Mayo has been working through a five-story hospital expansion. To keep staff coming, the hospitals grow their own: Jacksonville University's Keigwin School of Nursing runs accelerated BSN cohorts with Baptist Health, Mayo Clinic and Ascension St. Vincent's, Baptist hires LPNs in scheduled cohorts, and Brooks brings new nursing graduates on as nurse technicians while they wait for the NCLEX. Commuters from Clay and St. Johns counties fill many Southside shifts, so the I-95, I-295 and JTB corridors matter as much as the job itself.
Top Healthcare & Medical Employers in Jacksonville
These Jacksonville health systems and care providers hire across nursing, technical and support roles:
- Baptist Health - the locally owned system runs Baptist Jacksonville and Baptist South and posts nurse, LPN and support openings on its own careers site.
- Wolfson Children's Hospital - Baptist's pediatric hospital on the Southbank hires for pediatric CVICU and pediatric med-surg.
- Mayo Clinic - the San Pablo Road campus lists hundreds of Jacksonville openings, from nurses and surgical technologists to pharmacy techs and lab staff.
- UF Health Jacksonville - the academic medical center in Springfield and its UF Jacksonville Physicians practices hire nurses and clinical staff.
- Ascension St. Vincent's - the Catholic system staffs hospitals in Riverside and on the Southside, plus Clay and St. Johns counties.
- Brooks Rehabilitation - hires CNAs, LPNs and RNs for its Jacksonville rehab hospitals and the 111-bed University Crossing skilled nursing center.
- Community Hospice & Palliative Care - recruits RNs, LPNs and CNAs for inpatient, home care and crisis care teams across four counties.
Healthcare & Medical Career Paths in Jacksonville
- Nursing and direct patient care - Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant and Patient Care Technician, plus the Healthcare overview guide. This is the largest track and the clearest ladder, from aide to LPN to RN.
- Clinical technology and diagnostics - Medical Laboratory Technician, Phlebotomist, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Technologist, Respiratory Therapist and Pharmacy Technician. These roles run the labs, imaging suites, operating rooms and pharmacies behind every hospital floor.
- Clinic, office and revenue cycle - Medical Assistant, Medical Receptionist, Medical Biller and Coder and Dental Assistant. These are the jobs inside physician practices, dental offices and hospital business offices.
- Emergency, rehab and behavioral health - EMT and Paramedic, Physical Therapy Assistant and Behavioral Health Technician. These roles follow patients from the ambulance to recovery and long-term care.
How to Start a Healthcare & Medical Career in Jacksonville
- Florida nursing license - RNs and LPNs are licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing after an approved program and the NCLEX, with Livescan fingerprints. Florida also issues multistate compact licenses.
- FSCJ Practical Nursing - Florida State College at Jacksonville's 1,350-hour certificate prepares you for the NCLEX-PN, with deadlines in February, May and September.
- FSCJ Nursing R.N. associate degree - taught at the North Campus on Capper Road, the Deerwood Center on Old Baymeadows Road and the Nassau Center, with a bridge option for LPNs and paramedics.
- UNF and JU BSN programs - the University of North Florida's Brooks College of Health offers a BSN, and Jacksonville University's Keigwin School of Nursing in Arlington runs traditional and accelerated BSN programs.
- BLS certification - a current American Heart Association BLS card, required by most hospital postings.
A license is legally required to work as an RN or LPN in Florida; a BLS card, a BSN and specialty certifications are employer requirements that vary by job and unit.
Healthcare & Medical Salaries in Jacksonville
- Entry - about $17 to $21 an hour for nursing assistants, medical assistants and patient support roles.
- Mid - roughly $28 to $31 an hour for licensed practical nurses and many technician roles.
- Senior - about $38 to $48 an hour for registered nurses, with charge, critical care and specialty nurses above that.
These are estimates built on federal 2025 wage data for the Jacksonville metro, where the median RN earns about $40 an hour, the median LPN about $30 and the median nursing assistant about $18. Pay moves with your license, unit and employer, night and weekend differentials add to base pay, and Baptist has advertised sign-on bonuses for night-shift nurses at Baptist South. Florida has no state income tax, which helps take-home pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest healthcare employers in Jacksonville?
Baptist Health, Mayo Clinic Florida, UF Health Jacksonville and Ascension St. Vincent's are the four big hospital systems. Wolfson Children's Hospital, Brooks Rehabilitation and Community Hospice & Palliative Care add pediatric, rehab, skilled nursing and hospice jobs.
What healthcare jobs can I get in Jacksonville without a degree?
Patient support, transport, environmental services and many clinic front-desk roles hire with a high school diploma and train on the job. Nursing assistant and medical assistant roles often ask for a short certificate program.
How much do healthcare workers make in Jacksonville?
Federal 2025 data puts the median Jacksonville RN near $40 an hour, the median LPN near $30 and the median nursing assistant near $18. Specialty nurses and experienced technologists earn more, especially on nights and weekends.
Where can I train for healthcare jobs in Jacksonville?
Florida State College at Jacksonville is the main public option for practical nursing and the associate RN degree. The University of North Florida and Jacksonville University both offer BSN programs, and JU runs accelerated cohorts with Baptist, Mayo and Ascension St. Vincent's.
Do I need a Florida license to work as a nurse in Jacksonville?
Yes. RNs and LPNs need a license from the Florida Board of Nursing or a multistate compact license from another member state. Graduates cannot work as graduate nurses until the Board approves that status.
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