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Jobs in Tennessee: pay, hiring and what a paycheck buys

Tennessee has 2,356 open job postings from 394 employers in our data. 17.3% list a pay range, the median posted pay is $91,500 a year, 5% are remote and 25.9% have been open more than 60 days (data as of October 2026).

What stands out

Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMedian wage for all jobs divided by the local price level, October 2026. Higher means a paycheck goes further.Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMassachusettsMassachusetts Official median wage: $63,500 Price level: 105.8 Paycheck power: $60,000 Click for the full page$60,000WashingtonWashington Official median wage: $63,000 Price level: 107 Paycheck power: $59,000 Click for the full page$59,000MinnesotaMinnesota Official median wage: $57,000 Price level: 98.6 Paycheck power: $57,500 Click for the full page$57,500WisconsinWisconsin Official median wage: $50,500 Price level: 94.1 Paycheck power: $53,500 Click for the full page$53,500MissouriMissouri Official median wage: $48,000 Price level: 90.8 Paycheck power: $52,500 Click for the full page$52,500TennesseeTennessee Official median wage: $47,500 Price level: 91.9 Paycheck power: $51,500$51,500IndianaIndiana Official median wage: $48,000 Price level: 93.3 Paycheck power: $51,500 Click for the full page$51,500ArizonaArizona Official median wage: $50,000 Price level: 100.7 Paycheck power: $49,500 Click for the full page$49,500Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Tennessee compared with similar-sized states: the median wage divided by the local price level (US average prices = 100). Download this chart (SVG)
2,356open postings from 394 employers
17.3%list a pay range
$91,500median posted pay
$47,500official median wage, all jobs (BLS)
3.7%unemployment rate, 2026-08 (BLS)
143,000job openings, 2025-12 (BLS JOLTS), rate 4.1%

Pay transparency

Tennessee has no statewide law requiring a pay range in job postings.

Metro areas in Tennessee

Metro areaPostingsPay listedMedian posted pay
Memphis, TN-MS-AR6869.7%$84,500
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN32611.3%$89,500
Knoxville, TN22319.7%$151,500
Chattanooga, TN-GA14219.8%$80,000

What your paycheck buys here

Prices in Tennessee run 8% below the national average, and housing runs 21% below it. The official median wage for all jobs is $47,500, which is worth $51,500 in average-US dollars. The median posted pay of $91,500 is worth $100,000.

What things cost here (US average = 100)BEA regional price parities for the Tennessee metro area, 2024.What things cost here (US average = 100)All itemsAll items: 91.9 8% below the US average (100)91.9HousingHousing: 79.1 21% below the US average (100)79.1GoodsGoods: 96.2 4% below the US average (100)96.2UtilitiesUtilities: 72.1 28% below the US average (100)72.1Other servicesOther services: 95.1 5% below the US average (100)95.1Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
Local prices compared with the national average, where 100 is the US average. Download this chart (SVG)
The area's biggest jobs and what they payOfficial median annual wage for the ten largest occupations in Tennessee, May 2025.The area's biggest jobs and what they payLaborers and Freight, Stock, a (105.9k)Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 105,870 workers Median wage: $38,000$38,000Fast Food and Counter Workers (90.7k)Fast Food and Counter Workers 90,690 workers Median wage: $27,500$27,500Retail Salespersons (87.4k)Retail Salespersons 87,380 workers Median wage: $32,000$32,000Registered Nurses (72.2k)Registered Nurses 72,200 workers Median wage: $81,500$81,500Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truc (64.9k)Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 64,890 workers Median wage: $58,500$58,500General and Operations Manager (63.7k)General and Operations Managers 63,720 workers Median wage: $107,000$107,000Cashiers (63.4k)Cashiers 63,350 workers Median wage: $28,500$28,500Stockers and Order Fillers (60.1k)Stockers and Order Fillers 60,130 workers Median wage: $36,000$36,000Customer Service Representativ (59.7k)Customer Service Representatives 59,730 workers Median wage: $43,000$43,000Miscellaneous Assemblers and F (58.8k)Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 58,760 workers Median wage: $44,500$44,500Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Median wages for the ten occupations with the most workers here (worker count in parentheses). Download this chart (SVG)
Open postings by industry of the employerPostings by employer industry in Tennessee.Open postings by industry of the employerHealthcare & Life SciencesHealthcare & Life Sciences 537 open postings 22.8% of this area's postings537Software & TechnologySoftware & Technology 326 open postings 13.8% of this area's postings326Retail & E-commerceRetail & E-commerce 302 open postings 12.8% of this area's postings302Real Estate & ConstructionReal Estate & Construction 295 open postings 12.5% of this area's postings295Manufacturing & IndustrialManufacturing & Industrial 229 open postings 9.7% of this area's postings229OtherOther 146 open postings 6.2% of this area's postings146Energy & UtilitiesEnergy & Utilities 115 open postings 4.9% of this area's postings115Financial ServicesFinancial Services 105 open postings 4.5% of this area's postings105Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Which industries have the most open postings in our data. Download this chart (SVG)

Employers with the most openings

  1. Xai: 162 postings
  2. Boxlunch: 83 postings
  3. Prisma Health: 54 postings
  4. Floor & Decor: 49 postings
  5. Carvana: 48 postings

Federal government hiring

255 federal job announcements open to the public list Tennessee, with a median posted salary range midpoint of $105,000. Agencies hiring most: Veterans Health Administration (47), Federal Aviation Administration (17), Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System (17), Air Force Materiel Command (16), U.S. Coast Guard (14). Source: USAJOBS.

How it compares with similar-sized states

StatePay listedPosted payOfficial wagePricesPaycheck power
Tennessee17.3%$91,500$47,50091.9$51,500
Arizona20.5%$120,000$50,000100.7$49,500
Indiana8.6%$101,500$48,00093.3$51,500
Washington58.8%$175,000$63,000107$59,000
Massachusetts56.6%$155,000$63,500105.8$60,000
Minnesota37.9%$105,000$57,00098.6$57,500
Wisconsin16.4%$110,000$50,50094.1$53,500

Compare any states side by side

Download this data

Free to use with credit: Second Summit, October 2026. Data (CSV) · Data (JSON) · paycheck power chart (SVG) · prices chart (SVG) · industries chart (SVG) · biggest jobs chart (SVG)

Related pages

A posting that lists several states counts in each. This covers employers whose career pages we read, not every job in Tennessee. Methodology · All states (CSV)

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