Average Salaries in Tennessee
Explore salaries across 754 occupations in Tennessee. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $60.7K, -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 2024 estimates. Coverage: 754 occupations and 3,265,290 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 Family Medicine Physicians. 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.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $229.1K | 2,520 |
| Neurologists | $228.4K | 290 |
| Podiatrists | $213.2K | 80 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $203.4K | 2,360 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $178.7K | 520 |
| Pediatricians, General | $176.2K | 910 |
| Orthodontists | $174.8K | N/A |
| Chief Executives | $173.9K | 5,360 |
| Physicists | $173.7K | 260 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $171.3K | 190 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 111,240 | $37.9K |
| Retail Salespersons | 85,810 | $30.8K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 84,170 | $27.8K |
| Cashiers | 68,830 | $27.9K |
| Registered Nurses | 67,990 | $79.0K |
| General And Operations Managers | 66,610 | $102.9K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 64,880 | $40.1K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 63,130 | $55.6K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 62,480 | $35.4K |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 59,290 | $42.7K |
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.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Tennessee
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Transportation Workers, All Other | 8.31 | $47.5K |
| Statistical Assistants | 8.04 | $51.2K |
| Entertainment Attendants And Related Workers, All Other | 6.73 | $29.5K |
| Drilling And Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 6.68 | $46.6K |
| Coil Winders, Tapers, And Finishers | 5.71 | $45.1K |
| Cooks, All Other | 5.41 | $35.4K |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | 5.39 | $50.9K |
| Woodworkers, All Other | 4.68 | $33.3K |
| Precision Instrument And Equipment Repairers, All Other | 4.60 | $80.0K |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 4.51 | $30.0K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
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.
Inside this state
Major metros in Tennessee
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $63.6K | 1,080,830 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $59.9K | 603,990 |
| Knoxville, TN | $59.4K | 409,970 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $57.4K | 261,220 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $56.8K | 107,680 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $56.5K | 93,110 |
| Jackson, TN | $55.0K | 77,690 |
| Johnson City, TN | $53.5K | 73,910 |
| Morristown, TN | $52.2K | 41,200 |
| Cleveland, TN | $54.0K | 38,900 |
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.