Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Salaries

Occupation wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

Occupations Tracked

609

with wage data

Avg. Median Salary

$202,494

top 25 occupations

Top Salary

$361,650

Orthodontists

Cost of Living

96.3

4% below US avg

Purchasing power: The average median salary of $202,494 in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN has the purchasing power of $210,191 in a national-average-cost area. Lower cost of living means your salary goes further here.

The Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area is tracked by BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 609 occupations in the May 2025 release, each representing a distinct SOC code where local employment is large enough to report without triggering confidentiality suppression. Averaging the top-ranked occupation medians gives roughly $202,494 per year, a rough midpoint that helps you compare this metro to peer cities and the national picture. The BEA Regional Price Parity index for Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN sits at 96.3, meaning the local price level is 4% below the national average for rent, groceries, services, and transportation combined.

At the top of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ranking, Orthodontists pays a median of $361,650. Second-ranked is Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $358,070, followed by Anesthesiologists at $328,840. At the bottom of the reported-occupation range, Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials pays $29,460. This spread between top-specialist and entry-service pay is characteristic of U.S. metro labor markets, though the specific ratio varies by metro economic base. Critically, nominal pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN converts to $210,191 of purchasing power in a national-average-cost city, the paycheck you take home here buys more than the same nominal amount would in high-cost metros.

Metro medians reflect where the job is located, not where you live, relevant if you plan to commute across MSA boundaries. BLS defines metro areas using OMB's MSA delineations, so Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN spans the central city plus economically integrated surrounding counties. When using this page, drill into individual occupation rows to see percentile spread (the top 10% often earns 2× or more than the median) and compare against the occupation's national profile to see whether Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN pays a premium or discount for that specific role. Remember that OEWS wages capture base pay only, health benefits, retirement contributions, bonuses, overtime, and equity compensation can add 20-40% to real total compensation, and that gap often skews larger in high-cost metros where employers load non-wage benefits to remain competitive.

Highest Paying Jobs in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Orthodontists $361,650
2 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $358,070
3 Anesthesiologists $328,840
4 Physicians, All Other $295,640
5 Physicists $236,920
6 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $232,300
7 General Internal Medicine Physicians $232,220
8 Chief Executives $218,190
9 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $218,190
10 Dentists, General $215,290
11 Nurse Anesthetists $211,450
12 Family Medicine Physicians $211,370
13 Pediatricians, General $176,210
14 Computer and Information Systems Managers $165,970
15 Architectural and Engineering Managers $159,720
16 Financial Managers $156,860
17 Air Traffic Controllers $155,540
18 Optometrists $144,260
19 Psychiatrists $144,020
20 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $143,580
21 Lawyers $142,540
22 Purchasing Managers $140,410
23 Psychologists, All Other $138,070
24 Pharmacists $137,590
25 Computer Hardware Engineers $137,450

Lowest Paying Jobs in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN

Other Metros in TN

Peer MSAs in the same state for cost-of-living and wage comparisons.

Salary Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
Averaging the median salaries of the top 25 highest-paying occupations in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN gives $202,494/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is NOT a metro-wide average across all 609 tracked occupations, it's the mean of the top tier only; see the table below for the full range.
What is the highest paying job in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The highest paying occupation in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is Orthodontists with a median salary of $361,650/year. The second highest is Obstetricians and Gynecologists at $358,070/year.
What is the cost of living in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN has a Regional Price Parity of 96.3, meaning prices are 4% below the national average. The average median salary of $202,494 has the purchasing power of $210,191 in a national-average-cost area.
What jobs pay the least in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The lowest paying occupation in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials with a median salary of $29,460/year according to BLS data.
Where does BLS salary data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, which surveys approximately 1.1 million business establishments nationwide to produce detailed wage estimates by occupation and geographic area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Cost-of-living index: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This metro area figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS metro-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

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