Average Salaries in Tennessee
Explore salaries across 749 occupations in Tennessee. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $66.6K, +1.3% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 749 occupations and 3,266,470 total jobs in Tennessee.
How the state compares
Wages in Tennessee track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Tennessee has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Tennessee
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $610.1K | 560 |
| Dermatologists | $433.6K | 100 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $373.5K | 490 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $354.6K | 360 |
| Orthodontists | $339.6K | N/A |
| Anesthesiologists | $330.6K | 840 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $325.5K | 180 |
| Physicians, All Other | $301.3K | 5,340 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $232.2K | 1,370 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $231K | 230 |
Largest occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 105,870 | $38.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 90,690 | $27.5K |
| Retail Salespersons | 87,380 | $32K |
| Registered Nurses | 72,200 | $81.5K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 64,890 | $58.6K |
| General And Operations Managers | 63,720 | $107K |
| Cashiers | 63,350 | $28.6K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 60,130 | $36.1K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 59,730 | $42.8K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 58,760 | $44.6K |
What Tennessee specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Tennessee than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment Attendants And Related Workers, All Other | 8.26 | $29.9K |
| Woodworkers, All Other | 8.04 | $34.8K |
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 6.08 | $43.8K |
| Precision Instrument And Equipment Repairers, All Other | 5.79 | $82.1K |
| Coil Winders, Tapers, And Finishers | 5.38 | $46.3K |
| Cooks, All Other | 5.04 | $36.4K |
| Rail Transportation Workers, All Other | 4.82 | $48.7K |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | 4.66 | $46.3K |
| Milling And Planing Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 4.47 | $43.7K |
| Genetic Counselors | 4.38 | $94.4K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Tennessee
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Tennessee
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $67.9K | 1,083,790 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $65.1K | 597,250 |
| Knoxville, TN | $63.3K | 416,820 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $61.9K | 262,460 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $57.7K | 111,910 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $58.6K | 96,460 |
| Jackson, TN | $58.2K | 78,180 |
| Johnson City, TN | $57.1K | 74,740 |
| Morristown, TN | $56.1K | 40,850 |
| Cleveland, TN | $54.7K | 36,560 |
Common salary questions for Tennessee
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.