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Average Salary in Tennessee
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Tennessee, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 716 occupations in Tennessee. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Tennessee's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Tennessee jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Tennessee
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Tennessee is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 608.2% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 570 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Tennessee pays 11.2% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and anesthesiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,860 people in Tennessee, so they describe the top of the Tennessee wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 570 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 430 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 860 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dermatologists | 130 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 400 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 210 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 4,370 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 290 | $109.78 | $228,350 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 2,520 | $110.12 | $229,050 | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 5,360 | $83.59 | $173,870 | $223,350 |
| Podiatrists | 80 | $102.49 | $213,180 | $204,310 |
| Pediatricians, General | 910 | $84.69 | $176,150 | $197,990 |
| Psychiatrists | 300 | $80.03 | $166,470 | $197,490 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,360 | $97.79 | $203,400 | $195,790 |
| Dentists, General | 1,470 | $74.26 | $154,460 | $191,880 |
Largest occupations in Tennessee
The occupation with the most jobs in Tennessee is laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, employing an estimated 111,240 people at a median annual wage of $37,910 and a mean of $39,430. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $38,940, so Tennessee's typical pay for this work runs 2.6% lower. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (85,810 jobs, median $30,770) and fast food and counter workers (84,170 jobs, median $27,840). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Tennessee pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 111,240 | $37,910 | $39,430 |
| Retail Salespersons | 85,810 | $30,770 | $34,790 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 84,170 | $27,840 | $27,790 |
| Cashiers | 68,830 | $27,860 | $27,760 |
| Registered Nurses | 67,990 | $79,030 | $82,010 |
| General and Operations Managers | 66,610 | $102,850 | $129,040 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 64,880 | $40,130 | $42,980 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 63,130 | $55,610 | $57,670 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 62,480 | $35,360 | $36,810 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 59,290 | $42,680 | $44,100 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 53,400 | $28,410 | $30,390 |
| Office Clerks, General | 52,550 | $37,170 | $40,010 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 51,330 | $64,760 | $70,050 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 40,360 | $46,540 | $48,150 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 37,440 | $31,220 | $32,950 |
Where Tennessee pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Tennessee median with its own national median shows where Tennessee's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Tennessee jobs, the largest premium is for aircraft service attendants: a median of $55,690 in Tennessee versus $41,540 nationally, 34.1% higher. The largest discount is for general internal medicine physicians, at $67,150 in Tennessee versus $236,350 nationally, 71.6% lower. In total, 35 of the 374 occupations with 1,000 or more Tennessee jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 192 of the 716 occupations published for Tennessee have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Tennessee's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Tennessee median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Service Attendants | $55,690 | $41,540 | +34.1% |
| Surgical Assistants | $78,330 | $60,290 | +29.9% |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | $50,850 | $39,630 | +28.3% |
| Sales Engineers | $144,030 | $121,520 | +18.5% |
| Administrative Services Managers | $126,670 | $108,390 | +16.9% |
| Bartenders | $22,660 | $33,530 | -32.4% |
| Managers, All Other | $88,110 | $136,550 | -35.5% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $61,590 | $98,090 | -37.2% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $65,370 | $108,970 | -40.0% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $67,150 | $236,350 | -71.6% |
Tennessee salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Tennessee?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Tennessee, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Tennessee?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Tennessee, the largest occupation, laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, paid a median of $37,910 across 111,240 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 716 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Tennessee have?
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is the largest occupation published for Tennessee, with an estimated 111,240 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $39,430.
Which occupations pay more in Tennessee than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Tennessee jobs, aircraft service attendants shows the largest premium: a median of $55,690 in Tennessee versus $41,540 nationally, 34.1% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.