Fastest declining jobs in Tennessee, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Tennessee, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Tennessee's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Tennessee run 8.1% below the national average (2024), so a Tennessee salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Tennessee.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Tennessee

OccupationMedian, Tennessee · Growth 2024–34

1Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$35,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,020 – $46,700-20.8%
2Data Entry Keyers$40,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,940 – $57,310-18.2%
3Tellers$36,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,720 – $46,150-17.3%
4New Accounts Clerks$49,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,500 – $64,020-15.3%
5Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$68,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,580 – $98,100-14.6%
6Telemarketers$29,470
No formal educational credential
$21,280 – $48,340-14.2%
7Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,220 – $63,260-13.3%
8Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,850 – $71,330-12.9%
9Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$50,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,760 – $64,350-12.9%
10Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$50,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,430 – $75,540-12.8%
11Sewing Machine Operators$34,220
No formal educational credential
$19,130 – $46,800-11.6%
12Order Clerks$39,160
Some college, no degree
$29,790 – $55,590-11.2%
13Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,570 – $60,790-9.7%
14Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,880 – $64,070-9.4%
15File Clerks$43,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,460 – $59,020-8.9%
16Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$51,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,270 – $75,160-8.8%
17Dental Laboratory Technicians$48,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,520 – $79,020-8.4%
18Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$39,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,420 – $49,500-7.8%
19Meter Readers, Utilities$45,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,280 – $71,850-7.4%
20Floral Designers$36,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,870 – $46,590-5.7%
21Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,550 – $60,170-5.5%
22Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$36,880
No formal educational credential
$34,670 – $41,450-5.4%
23Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$45,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,660 – $63,130-5.3%
24Prepress Technicians and Workers$47,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,790 – $60,160-5.2%
25Helpers--Production Workers$38,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,280 – $51,120-5.1%
26Bill and Account Collectors$40,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,470 – $60,540-4.9%
27Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$33,720
No formal educational credential
$26,550 – $47,560-4.9%
28Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,140 – $59,200-4.9%
29Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,880 – $55,240-4.5%
30Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$40,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,080 – $59,910-4.4%
31Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,690 – $62,450-4.3%
32Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $64,620-4.2%
33Credit Analysts$72,550
Bachelor's degree
$49,080 – $134,980-4.1%
34Cooks, Fast Food$28,330
No formal educational credential
$20,380 – $38,330-4.1%
35Cashiers$28,590
No formal educational credential
$21,410 – $35,780-4.0%
36Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,380 – $61,050-3.7%
37Chief Executives$198,830
Bachelor's degree
$64,520 – $474,740-3.7%
38Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,400 – $54,080-3.5%
39Loan Interviewers and Clerks$45,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,560 – $65,900-3.5%
40Print Binding and Finishing Workers$36,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,320 – $47,750-3.4%
41Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$31,020
No formal educational credential
$23,490 – $42,060-3.2%
42Procurement Clerks$38,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,750 – $57,790-3.1%
43Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other$36,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,760 – $50,160-2.8%
44Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$48,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $77,230-2.4%
45Furniture Finishers$32,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,520 – $47,970-2.3%
46Buyers and Purchasing Agents$65,430
Bachelor's degree
$40,360 – $106,190-2.2%
47Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,620 – $53,300-2.1%
48Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $74,310-1.9%
49Slaughterers and Meat Packers$35,790
No formal educational credential
$29,770 – $46,880-1.8%
50Tool and Die Makers$60,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,600 – $81,390-1.7%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianTennessee	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,550	$27,020 – $46,700	-20.8%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,490	$29,940 – $57,310	-18.2%
3	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,750	$29,720 – $46,150	-17.3%
4	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,770	$39,500 – $64,020	-15.3%
5	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,190	$45,580 – $98,100	-14.6%
6	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$29,470	$21,280 – $48,340	-14.2%
7	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,280	$38,220 – $63,260	-13.3%
8	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,340	$30,850 – $71,330	-12.9%
9	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,460	$38,760 – $64,350	-12.9%
10	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,670	$35,430 – $75,540	-12.8%
11	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$34,220	$19,130 – $46,800	-11.6%
12	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$39,160	$29,790 – $55,590	-11.2%
13	Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,710	$29,570 – $60,790	-9.7%
14	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,070	$39,880 – $64,070	-9.4%
15	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,010	$26,460 – $59,020	-8.9%
16	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,780	$36,270 – $75,160	-8.8%
17	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,880	$36,520 – $79,020	-8.4%
18	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,340	$27,420 – $49,500	-7.8%
19	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,210	$30,280 – $71,850	-7.4%
20	Floral DesignersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,220	$26,870 – $46,590	-5.7%
21	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,920	$31,550 – $60,170	-5.5%
22	Graders and Sorters, Agricultural ProductsNo formal educational credential	$36,880	$34,670 – $41,450	-5.4%
23	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,810	$29,660 – $63,130	-5.3%
24	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,790	$33,790 – $60,160	-5.2%
25	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,330	$30,280 – $51,120	-5.1%
26	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,920	$30,470 – $60,540	-4.9%
27	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$33,720	$26,550 – $47,560	-4.9%
28	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,810	$37,140 – $59,200	-4.9%
29	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,710	$34,880 – $55,240	-4.5%
30	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,730	$35,080 – $59,910	-4.4%
31	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,810	$42,690 – $62,450	-4.3%
32	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,980	$38,000 – $64,620	-4.2%
33	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$72,550	$49,080 – $134,980	-4.1%
34	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$28,330	$20,380 – $38,330	-4.1%
35	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$28,590	$21,410 – $35,780	-4.0%
36	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,920	$33,380 – $61,050	-3.7%
37	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$198,830	$64,520 – $474,740	-3.7%
38	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,180	$35,400 – $54,080	-3.5%
39	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,230	$34,560 – $65,900	-3.5%
40	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,960	$31,320 – $47,750	-3.4%
41	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$31,020	$23,490 – $42,060	-3.2%
42	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,710	$36,750 – $57,790	-3.1%
43	Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,770	$32,760 – $50,160	-2.8%
44	Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,240	$31,140 – $77,230	-2.4%
45	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32,160	$30,520 – $47,970	-2.3%
46	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$65,430	$40,360 – $106,190	-2.2%
47	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,780	$35,620 – $53,300	-2.1%
48	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$36,010 – $74,310	-1.9%
49	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$35,790	$29,770 – $46,880	-1.8%
50	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,760	$45,600 – $81,390	-1.7%

More for Tennessee

Metro areas in Tennessee

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Tennessee

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Tennessee to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Tennessee, 2024–34

More for Tennessee

Metro areas in Tennessee

By field in Tennessee

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34