State salary profile · Tennessee

Tennessee Salaries

Tennessee wages where BEA prices sit below the national average (RPP 91.9), from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

$192,238
Mean of top 50 medians
730
Occupations
14
Local wage areas
139,510
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Tennessee is $192,238.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 730 occupations in Tennessee; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Cardiologists, earns $610,080, versus $22,750 for Motion Picture Projectionists at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 10 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

Tennessee · employment ≠ wage

In Tennessee, Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand lead by published employment (105,870 jobs, #1 of 711) but rank #596 of 711 on median wage ($38,160), while Cardiologists top the wage list at $610,080 (#1 of 711) with 560 jobs (#464 of 711). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

105,870
Laborers and Freight employment #1
$610,080
Cardiologists wage #1
#464
Employment rank of wage leader
#596
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Tennessee's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand lead Tennessee by employment; Cardiologists lead on median wage at $610,080.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Tennessee, the picture in one line

Tennessee ranks #40 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Cardiologists at $610,080. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

#40
of 54 states by published mean wage
$610,080
top-paying: Cardiologists
26th
percentile among all states
Chattanooga, TN-GA
local OEWS: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Clarksville, TN-KY

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Chattanooga, TN-GA.

Where Tennessee already employs the upper wage tier

Software Developers and Financial Managers lead Tennessee's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 19,030 jobs · $122,430
  2. 2. Financial Managers 17,630 jobs · $141,010
  3. 3. Sales Managers 12,270 jobs · $128,040
  4. 4. Computer and Information Systems Managers 12,040 jobs · $158,700
  5. 5. Lawyers 9,010 jobs · $136,180
  6. 6. Pharmacists 8,250 jobs · $133,390
  7. 7. Administrative Services Managers 8,170 jobs · $127,410
  8. 8. Marketing Managers 7,730 jobs · $131,990
  9. 9. Physicians, All Other 5,340 jobs · $301,290
  10. 10. Chief Executives 4,700 jobs · $198,830
  11. 11. Computer Network Architects 4,330 jobs · $123,860
  12. 12. Human Resources Managers 4,310 jobs · $131,760
  13. 13. Architectural and Engineering Managers 3,600 jobs · $161,430
  14. 14. Family Medicine Physicians 2,260 jobs · $226,830
  15. 15. Dentists, General 2,200 jobs · $215,290
  16. 16. Veterinarians 1,730 jobs · $124,350
  17. 17. Nurse Anesthetists 1,690 jobs · $211,450
  18. 18. Purchasing Managers 1,460 jobs · $137,060
  19. 19. General Internal Medicine Physicians 1,370 jobs · $232,220
  20. 20. Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 940 jobs · $132,710

Local BLS wage areas inside Tennessee

Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

Chattanooga, TN-GA Clarksville, TN-KY Cleveland, TN East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area Jackson, TN Johnson City, TN Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Knoxville, TN Memphis, TN-MS-AR Morristown, TN Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Tennessee moved from $46,120 in May 2024 to $47,380 in May 2025 (+2.7%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Tennessee sits -0.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Computer Occupations, All Other shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Tennessee

Computer Occupations, All Other publishes $76,470 here versus $116,580 nationally (-34.4%; 10,930statewide jobs). Next is Managers, All Other at $99,430 locally versus $141,900 nationally (-29.9%).

  1. Computer Occupations, All Other$76,470 in Tennessee sits 34.4% below the national Computer Occupations, All Other median of $116,580 (10,930 published local jobs).
  2. Managers, All Other$99,430 in Tennessee sits 29.9% below the national Managers, All Other median of $141,900 (17,510 published local jobs).
  3. Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$29,500 in Tennessee sits 29.2% below the national Substitute Teachers, Short-Term median of $41,670 (7,690 published local jobs).
  4. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$58,050 in Tennessee sits 26.2% below the national Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents median of $78,660 (11,370 published local jobs).

Computer Occupations, All Other and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Tennessee; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Tennessee OEWS table has a published median for 730 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 139,510; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $192,238 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Cardiologists pays a Tennessee median of $610,080, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Dermatologists at $433,630, followed by Surgeons, All Other at $373,510. At the bottom of the published range, Motion Picture Projectionists has a median of $22,750, making the displayed endpoint ratio 26.8×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 10 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Tennessee, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Tennessee's lower BEA price level (RPP 91.9) lifts the national-price reading of the published mean to about $66,159. Even then, compare Cardiologists and Motion Picture Projectionists inside a local OEWS area before treating either median as an offer. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$192,238

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$610,080

Cardiologists

Where Tennessee ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Chattanooga, TN-GA and Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN

$60,800 Bottom 26% higher than 26% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 (this entry) 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$60,800 · 26th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Tennessee ranks #40 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($60,800). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $60,800 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $66,159. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Tennessee (RPP 91.9, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Tennessee

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 730 distinct occupations in Tennessee. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Tennessee, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Tennessee jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $122,430
2 Financial Managers $141,010
3 Sales Managers $128,040
4 Computer and Information Systems Managers $158,700
5 Lawyers $136,180
6 Pharmacists $133,390
7 Administrative Services Managers $127,410
8 Marketing Managers $131,990
9 Physicians, All Other $301,290
10 Chief Executives $198,830
11 Computer Network Architects $123,860
12 Human Resources Managers $131,760
13 Architectural and Engineering Managers $161,430
14 Family Medicine Physicians $226,830
15 Dentists, General $215,290
16 Veterinarians $124,350
17 Nurse Anesthetists $211,450
18 Purchasing Managers $137,060
19 General Internal Medicine Physicians $232,220
20 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels $132,710
21 Natural Sciences Managers $124,530
22 Anesthesiologists $330,620
23 Training and Development Managers $121,030
24 Pediatricians, General $176,210
25 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $122,920
26 Public Relations Managers $127,390
27 Compensation and Benefits Managers $132,780
28 Optometrists $134,170
29 Aerospace Engineers $128,510
30 Air Traffic Controllers $157,330
31 Cardiologists $610,080
32 Surgeons, All Other $373,510
33 Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $208,350
34 Psychiatrists $214,880
35 Obstetricians and Gynecologists $354,580
36 Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $128,270
37 Physicists $165,010
38 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $231,040
39 Neurologists $229,670
40 Psychologists, All Other $138,070
41 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $325,520
42 Physical Scientists, All Other $129,570
43 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $143,580
44 Dermatologists $433,630
45 Podiatrists $212,470
46 Medical Dosimetrists $135,530
47 Biochemists and Biophysicists $134,560
48 Orthodontists $339,610
49 Acupuncturists $141,430
50 Computer Hardware Engineers $130,830

Lowest Paying Jobs in Tennessee

Occupation Median Salary
Motion Picture Projectionists $22,750
Shampooers $24,160
Barbers $24,690
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand $27,030
School Bus Monitors $27,250
Passenger Attendants $27,380
Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,470
Bartenders $27,480
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $27,490
Waiters and Waitresses $27,760
Occupational Therapy Aides $27,840
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $28,200
Cooks, Fast Food $28,330
Cashiers $28,590
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $28,690
Food Preparation Workers $28,700
Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators $29,050
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $29,210
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials $29,460
Telemarketers $29,470
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $29,470
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $29,500
Funeral Attendants $29,600
Childcare Workers $29,660
Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers, All Other $29,890

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Tennessee. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in Tennessee

Chattanooga, TN-GA Clarksville, TN-KY Cleveland, TN East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area Jackson, TN Johnson City, TN Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Knoxville, TN Memphis, TN-MS-AR Morristown, TN Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Tennessee. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($60,800 here) and reported employment (3,278,760 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Tennessee pages

Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area.

Chattanooga, TN-GA

Local OEWS wage area

Clarksville, TN-KY

Local OEWS wage area

Cleveland, TN

Local OEWS wage area

East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Jackson, TN

Local OEWS wage area

Johnson City, TN

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Tennessee

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Tennessee

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Cardiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Tennessee? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $192,238/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Tennessee? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $60,800/year for Tennessee in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 40th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Tennessee? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Tennessee is Cardiologists with a median salary of $610,080/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Dermatologists at $433,630/year.
What jobs pay the least in Tennessee? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Tennessee ranking is Motion Picture Projectionists at $22,750/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Tennessee? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 10 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Tennessee. Published local OEWS areas include Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, Jackson, TN, Johnson City, TN, then Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, Knoxville, TN, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Morristown, TN, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Tennessee? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 730 distinct occupations in Tennessee. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 139,510 jobs in covered establishments.

Price-level sources for Tennessee

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BEA Regional Price Parities → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Tennessee wage data in a real decision

  • Tennessee prices sit below the national BEA average (RPP 91.9), so the published $60,800 mean is closer to $66,159 nationally; still re-check Cardiologists inside Chattanooga, TN-GA and Clarksville, TN-KY before relocating. Compare states
  • Inside Tennessee, re-check Cardiologists in Chattanooga, TN-GA, Clarksville, TN-KY, Cleveland, TN, East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area or Jackson, TN before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Chattanooga, TN-GA
  • Open Cardiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Tennessee's statewide median of $610,080 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Cardiologists
  • The published Tennessee range runs from Motion Picture Projectionists at $22,750 to Cardiologists at $610,080; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.