High paying entry level jobs in Knoxville, TN

These occupations in Knoxville, TN ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Knoxville, TN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Knoxville, TN salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Knoxville, TN

OccupationMedian, Knoxville, TN · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$213,900
Master's degree
$140,420 – $237,700220
2Nuclear Engineers$179,660
Bachelor's degree
$96,700 – $300,340240
3Dentists, General$157,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,360 – $259,320220
4Pharmacists$132,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,160 – $159,200990
5Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$129,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,700 – $210,960370
6Lawyers$126,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,800 – $263,2201,250
7Software Developers$121,750
Bachelor's degree
$68,880 – $161,8702,390
8Veterinarians$121,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,470 – $170,290260
9Nurse Practitioners$109,740
Master's degree
$85,210 – $135,1701,630
10Electrical Engineers$108,590
Bachelor's degree
$75,120 – $166,210630
11Physician Assistants$107,980
Master's degree
$91,640 – $141,670240
12Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,530 – $319,760260
13Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,680 – $153,770640
14Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$101,710
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,370 – $208,060140
15Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,330 – $155,080180
16Engineers, All Other$99,650
Bachelor's degree
$61,530 – $162,430940
17Mechanical Engineers$99,070
Bachelor's degree
$63,200 – $148,980760
18Civil Engineers$96,320
Bachelor's degree
$63,860 – $160,3501,110
19Physical Therapists$96,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,850 – $124,190590
20Industrial Engineers$95,750
Bachelor's degree
$68,410 – $132,320960
21Occupational Therapists$94,490
Master's degree
$58,870 – $116,330290
22Data Scientists$92,640
Bachelor's degree
$61,980 – $149,090320
23Project Management Specialists$91,690
Bachelor's degree
$57,660 – $132,7803,650
24Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$91,440
Associate's degree
$64,480 – $98,000250
25Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,400
Bachelor's degree
$62,460 – $128,190880
26Environmental Engineers$86,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,630 – $172,370190
27Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$85,970
Bachelor's degree
$57,820 – $114,700220
28Computer Systems Analysts$85,730
Bachelor's degree
$60,930 – $126,6201,210
29Financial and Investment Analysts$85,570
Bachelor's degree
$49,200 – $135,050590
30Dental Hygienists$84,640
Associate's degree
$81,380 – $97,700590
31Budget Analysts$80,870
Bachelor's degree
$63,690 – $115,230170
32Web Developers$80,710
Bachelor's degree
$47,290 – $123,780200
33Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$79,360
Associate's degree
$46,810 – $97,630280
34Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$78,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,060 – $168,610230
35Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$78,110
Bachelor's degree
$44,110 – $116,970470
36Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,080
Master's degree
$61,000 – $125,440180
37Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,280 – $127,280460
38Business Operations Specialists, All Other$77,700
Bachelor's degree
$45,200 – $138,8301,130
39Registered Nurses$77,240
Bachelor's degree
$57,070 – $97,3609,500
40Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$75,420
Bachelor's degree
$51,410 – $126,420250
41Accountants and Auditors$75,380
Bachelor's degree
$50,470 – $125,6803,240
42Architectural and Civil Drafters$72,180
Associate's degree
$48,640 – $109,170250
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$68,890
Associate's degree
$51,120 – $79,130670
44Human Resources Specialists$67,370
Bachelor's degree
$46,490 – $107,7102,980
45Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$67,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,490 – $87,620300
46Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$67,060
Associate's degree
$42,000 – $98,600290
47Computer Occupations, All Other$66,960
Bachelor's degree
$45,410 – $116,5201,370
48Logisticians$65,030
Bachelor's degree
$42,750 – $107,390540
49Respiratory Therapists$64,800
Associate's degree
$54,300 – $77,050460
50Interpreters and Translators$64,770
Bachelor's degree
$29,630 – $83,320140

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

#	Occupation	MedianKnoxville, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$213,900	$140,420 – $237,700	220
2	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$179,660	$96,700 – $300,340	240
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$157,900	$84,360 – $259,320	220
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,460	$85,160 – $159,200	990
5	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,240	$78,700 – $210,960	370
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,520	$77,800 – $263,220	1,250
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$121,750	$68,880 – $161,870	2,390
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$121,160	$100,470 – $170,290	260
9	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$109,740	$85,210 – $135,170	1,630
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,590	$75,120 – $166,210	630
11	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$107,980	$91,640 – $141,670	240
12	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,010	$67,530 – $319,760	260
13	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,720	$59,680 – $153,770	640
14	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,710	$64,370 – $208,060	140
15	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,220	$62,330 – $155,080	180
16	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,650	$61,530 – $162,430	940
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,070	$63,200 – $148,980	760
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,320	$63,860 – $160,350	1,110
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,110	$64,850 – $124,190	590
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,750	$68,410 – $132,320	960
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,490	$58,870 – $116,330	290
22	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$92,640	$61,980 – $149,090	320
23	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,690	$57,660 – $132,780	3,650
24	Environmental Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$91,440	$64,480 – $98,000	250
25	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,400	$62,460 – $128,190	880
26	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,550	$62,630 – $172,370	190
27	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$85,970	$57,820 – $114,700	220
28	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,730	$60,930 – $126,620	1,210
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,570	$49,200 – $135,050	590
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,640	$81,380 – $97,700	590
31	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,870	$63,690 – $115,230	170
32	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$80,710	$47,290 – $123,780	200
33	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$79,360	$46,810 – $97,630	280
34	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,210	$52,060 – $168,610	230
35	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,110	$44,110 – $116,970	470
36	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,080	$61,000 – $125,440	180
37	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,020	$54,280 – $127,280	460
38	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,700	$45,200 – $138,830	1,130
39	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$77,240	$57,070 – $97,360	9,500
40	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$75,420	$51,410 – $126,420	250
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,380	$50,470 – $125,680	3,240
42	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$72,180	$48,640 – $109,170	250
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,890	$51,120 – $79,130	670
44	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,370	$46,490 – $107,710	2,980
45	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,300	$44,490 – $87,620	300
46	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,060	$42,000 – $98,600	290
47	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,960	$45,410 – $116,520	1,370
48	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$65,030	$42,750 – $107,390	540
49	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$64,800	$54,300 – $77,050	460
50	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$64,770	$29,630 – $83,320	140

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Knoxville, TN. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying entry level jobs in Knoxville, TN

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