Average Salary in Tennessee
Average wage, unemployment, and how Tennessee ranks — from official BLS data.
The average worker in Tennessee earns about $74,152 a year across all industries — about $6,625 above the national average. Roughly 3,254,064 jobs are covered in the state.
How it works
The average annual wage for Tennessee is the BLS QCEW average weekly wage across all covered industries, annualized (2026 Q1). The unemployment rate is the seasonally adjusted state figure from BLS LAUS. These are averages — a typical (median) worker usually earns less than the average, which is pulled up by high earners.
Good to know
- Average wage is employer-reported and covers ~95% of US jobs; it runs higher than the median.
- Weigh Tennessee's wage against its cost of living and rent before comparing states.
- Figures refresh as BLS releases new quarters.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Tennessee?
The average annual wage in Tennessee is about $74,152, based on the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026 Q1) — the average across all covered industries.
What is the average hourly wage in Tennessee?
About $35.65 per hour, assuming a 40-hour week (2,080 hours a year) — that's $1,426 a week or $6,179 a month. Part-time and overtime patterns shift the true hourly figure for any individual job.
What is a good salary in Tennessee?
Anything above the state's average wage of $74,152 exceeds what the average job in Tennessee pays — and since averages are pulled up by top earners, the typical (median) worker earns somewhat less than that. What counts as comfortable also depends heavily on local housing costs, so weigh the figure against your rent or mortgage.
What is the unemployment rate in Tennessee?
Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 3.4% (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
How does Tennessee rank for pay?
Tennessee ranks #25 of 51 states (and DC) by average wage.