High paying jobs in Tennessee

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Tennessee. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$301,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,560 – $503,4305,340
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$232,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,870 – $412,4601,370
3Family Medicine Physicians$226,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,290 – $481,2002,260
4Dentists, General$215,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,360 – $311,9002,200
5Nurse Anesthetists$211,450
Master's degree
$167,480 – $286,6301,690
6Chief Executives$198,830
Bachelor's degree
$64,520 – $474,7404,700
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$161,430
Bachelor's degree
$105,980 – $239,2403,600
8Computer and Information Systems Managers$158,700
Bachelor's degree
$98,380 – $237,64012,040
9Financial Managers$141,010
Bachelor's degree
$83,080 – $288,75017,630
10Purchasing Managers$137,060
Bachelor's degree
$90,340 – $228,2301,460
11Lawyers$136,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,510 – $324,8809,010
12Pharmacists$133,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,700 – $164,4308,250
13Marketing Managers$131,990
Bachelor's degree
$78,790 – $222,6807,730
14Human Resources Managers$131,760
Bachelor's degree
$85,160 – $218,3004,310
15Sales Managers$128,040
Bachelor's degree
$67,220 – $231,83012,270
16Administrative Services Managers$127,410
Bachelor's degree
$71,530 – $213,2308,170
17Veterinarians$124,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,500 – $167,9001,730
18Computer Network Architects$123,860
Bachelor's degree
$82,340 – $172,9804,330
19Software Developers$122,430
Bachelor's degree
$75,280 – $166,38019,030
20Industrial Production Managers$119,430
Bachelor's degree
$74,980 – $198,5206,310
21Physician Assistants$118,240
Master's degree
$93,380 – $141,6702,240
22Nurse Practitioners$117,590
Master's degree
$82,790 – $137,88012,150
23Database Administrators$115,500
Bachelor's degree
$59,050 – $163,6002,020
24Information Security Analysts$115,430
Bachelor's degree
$63,870 – $250,5903,330
25Construction Managers$110,200
Bachelor's degree
$65,780 – $183,2705,860
26Medical and Health Services Managers$107,120
Bachelor's degree
$71,820 – $202,06014,160
27General and Operations Managers$106,970
Bachelor's degree
$50,820 – $230,66063,720
28Facilities Managers$106,730
Bachelor's degree
$70,010 – $167,9902,580
29Electrical Engineers$104,450
Bachelor's degree
$73,850 – $166,2102,830
30Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,500 – $155,1004,020
31Education Administrators, Postsecondary$100,850
Master's degree
$65,000 – $224,7102,680
32Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,420 – $181,6804,910
33Data Scientists$100,330
Bachelor's degree
$60,200 – $156,1602,790
34Physical Therapists$100,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,280 – $127,5004,800
35Mechanical Engineers$99,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,150 – $156,1503,930
36Managers, All Other$99,430
Bachelor's degree
$49,210 – $181,27017,510
37Management Analysts$99,260
Bachelor's degree
$63,280 – $172,17013,700
38Industrial Engineers$99,080
Bachelor's degree
$72,200 – $132,0407,440
39Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$98,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,030 – $168,5704,400
40Occupational Therapists$97,700
Master's degree
$68,520 – $119,0702,490
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$97,590
Master's degree
$70,960 – $134,6306,180
42Engineers, All Other$96,640
Bachelor's degree
$54,620 – $155,9604,400
43Civil Engineers$95,910
Bachelor's degree
$65,090 – $154,1005,790
44Computer Systems Analysts$95,630
Bachelor's degree
$61,240 – $138,83010,220
45Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$94,450
Bachelor's degree
$48,570 – $181,2608,290
46Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$94,030
Bachelor's degree
$62,930 – $146,2902,570
47Financial and Investment Analysts$92,990
Bachelor's degree
$50,130 – $140,8704,910
48Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$91,040
Bachelor's degree
$61,580 – $125,7601,530
49Social and Community Service Managers$88,240
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $137,5102,770
50Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,100
Bachelor's degree
$60,530 – $128,9205,070

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	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$301,290	$101,560 – $503,430	5,340
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$232,220	$64,870 – $412,460	1,370
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$226,830	$100,290 – $481,200	2,260
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$215,290	$84,360 – $311,900	2,200
5	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$211,450	$167,480 – $286,630	1,690
6	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$198,830	$64,520 – $474,740	4,700
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$161,430	$105,980 – $239,240	3,600
8	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,700	$98,380 – $237,640	12,040
9	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,010	$83,080 – $288,750	17,630
10	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,060	$90,340 – $228,230	1,460
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$136,180	$76,510 – $324,880	9,010
12	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,390	$88,700 – $164,430	8,250
13	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,990	$78,790 – $222,680	7,730
14	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,760	$85,160 – $218,300	4,310
15	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,040	$67,220 – $231,830	12,270
16	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,410	$71,530 – $213,230	8,170
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,350	$98,500 – $167,900	1,730
18	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$123,860	$82,340 – $172,980	4,330
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,430	$75,280 – $166,380	19,030
20	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,430	$74,980 – $198,520	6,310
21	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$118,240	$93,380 – $141,670	2,240
22	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$117,590	$82,790 – $137,880	12,150
23	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$115,500	$59,050 – $163,600	2,020
24	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$115,430	$63,870 – $250,590	3,330
25	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$110,200	$65,780 – $183,270	5,860
26	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,120	$71,820 – $202,060	14,160
27	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,970	$50,820 – $230,660	63,720
28	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,730	$70,010 – $167,990	2,580
29	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,450	$73,850 – $166,210	2,830
30	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,720	$63,500 – $155,100	4,020
31	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$100,850	$65,000 – $224,710	2,680
32	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,740	$55,420 – $181,680	4,910
33	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,330	$60,200 – $156,160	2,790
34	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,140	$67,280 – $127,500	4,800
35	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,550	$64,150 – $156,150	3,930
36	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,430	$49,210 – $181,270	17,510
37	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,260	$63,280 – $172,170	13,700
38	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,080	$72,200 – $132,040	7,440
39	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,870	$48,030 – $168,570	4,400
40	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,700	$68,520 – $119,070	2,490
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$97,590	$70,960 – $134,630	6,180
42	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,640	$54,620 – $155,960	4,400
43	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,910	$65,090 – $154,100	5,790
44	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,630	$61,240 – $138,830	10,220
45	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$94,450	$48,570 – $181,260	8,290
46	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$94,030	$62,930 – $146,290	2,570
47	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,990	$50,130 – $140,870	4,910
48	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$91,040	$61,580 – $125,760	1,530
49	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$88,240	$58,990 – $137,510	2,770
50	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,100	$60,530 – $128,920	5,070

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Tennessee. 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.

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.

High paying jobs in Tennessee

More for Tennessee

Metro areas in Tennessee

By field in Tennessee

Without a degree

By state