Tennessee Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Tennessee.
The average salary in Tennessee is $93,454 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Nashville). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Computer and Information Systems Manager at $158,360 median; 22 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 100, the average median equates to $93,454 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Tennessee
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 5,650 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($158,360)
Lawyer
Legal · 4,100 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($143,420)
Financial Manager
Finance · 8,160 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($140,440)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 2,650 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($135,500)
Sales Manager
Management · 4,610 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($134,070)
Marketing Manager
Management · 4,030 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($131,420)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 1,840 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($128,810)
Data Scientist
Technology · 1,490 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($127,770)
Software Developer
Technology · 8,420 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($127,150)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 810 jobs in state · top metro: Nashville ($124,010)
Cities in Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Tennessee is $93,454 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2024 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Computer and Information Systems Manager at $158,360 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Tennessee, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Computer and Information Systems Manager ($158,360), Lawyer ($143,420), Financial Manager ($140,440), Pharmacist ($135,500), Sales Manager ($134,070). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/tennessee.
22 of the 50 BLS-tracked occupations in Tennessee have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Nashville, TN leads Tennessee with an average median salary of $93,454 across 50 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Tennessee's tracked metros is 100 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $93,454 translates to $93,454 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Tennessee, using the OEWS 2024 reference period.
50 data points · BLS OEWS 2024 · last refreshed 2026-05-08