Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chattanooga, TN-GA

Each occupation's median wage in Chattanooga, TN-GA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Chattanooga, TN-GA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Chattanooga, TN-GA run 8.5% below the national average (2024), so a Chattanooga, TN-GA 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.

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 Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian, Chattanooga, TN-GA · vs. national

1First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$100,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $100,340+79.4%
2Physicians, All Other$429,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$191,200 – $829,860+61.7%
3Education Teachers, Postsecondary$103,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,010 – $103,790+37.7%
4Insurance Underwriters$102,460
Bachelor's degree
$56,650 – $126,000+25.9%
5Food Processing Workers, All Other$47,320
No formal educational credential
$38,010 – $47,320+19.3%
6Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$57,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,160 – $70,570+18.5%
7Medical Transcriptionists$47,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,620 – $60,710+18.0%
8Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$43,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,030 – $52,230+17.6%
9Surgical Assistants$77,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,500 – $109,580+16.1%
10Electricians$72,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,030 – $85,830+14.5%
11Administrative Services Managers$130,540
Bachelor's degree
$73,520 – $201,030+14.4%
12Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,630 – $46,650+13.5%
13Brickmasons and Blockmasons$69,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,790 – $69,660+12.1%
14Light Truck Drivers$49,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,450 – $54,060+11.4%
15Bakers$40,880
No formal educational credential
$22,190 – $54,760+10.0%
16Nuclear Engineers$146,850
Bachelor's degree
$112,760 – $280,220+9.6%
17Sales and Related Workers, All Other$52,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,210 – $87,360+8.7%
18Family Medicine Physicians$264,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$172,780 – $357,420+8.4%
19Production Workers, All Other$43,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,700 – $57,370+7.6%
20Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,990 – $61,360+6.7%
21Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers$48,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $66,480+5.5%
22Rehabilitation Counselors$49,450
Master's degree
$35,920 – $58,670+5.5%
23Tutors$45,570
Some college, no degree
$20,990 – $72,190+5.1%
24Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$77,700
Associate's degree
$39,200 – $99,470+4.6%
25Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$37,410
No formal educational credential
$22,440 – $37,410+4.4%
26Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$39,790
No formal educational credential
$27,640 – $43,250+3.9%
27Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$40,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,670 – $60,370+3.8%
28Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,680 – $63,420+3.3%
29Maintenance Workers, Machinery$62,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $73,810+3.0%
30Electrical Engineers$123,840
Bachelor's degree
$81,120 – $163,280+2.7%
31Food Batchmakers$43,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,620 – $56,570+2.7%
32Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $60,680+2.5%
33Mechanical Engineers$106,660
Bachelor's degree
$75,880 – $157,030+2.4%
34Postal Service Clerks$63,650
No formal educational credential
$54,330 – $76,360+2.4%
35Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $63,540+2.1%
36Chefs and Head Cooks$63,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $96,340+2.0%
37Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,290 – $72,880+1.5%
38Helpers--Production Workers$39,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,240 – $52,830+1.4%
39Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,580
No formal educational credential
$24,870 – $47,270+1.1%
40Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,510 – $51,310+1.0%
41Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $60,710+0.9%
42Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$51,020
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,640 – $79,300+0.8%
43Customer Service Representatives$45,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,180 – $59,060+0.6%
44Sewing Machine Operators$36,800
No formal educational credential
$23,540 – $45,650+0.4%
45Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,890 – $60,670+0.1%
46Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,390
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280-0.1%
47Parts Salespersons$38,560
No formal educational credential
$27,570 – $62,160-0.2%
48Opticians, Dispensing$47,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $68,520-0.3%
49Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$48,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,350 – $62,120-0.9%
50First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,220 – $75,030-1.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianChattanooga, TN-GA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,340	$38,480 – $100,340	+79.4%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$429,900	$191,200 – $829,860	+61.7%
3	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,790	$44,010 – $103,790	+37.7%
4	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$102,460	$56,650 – $126,000	+25.9%
5	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$47,320	$38,010 – $47,320	+19.3%
6	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,400	$39,160 – $70,570	+18.5%
7	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,680	$35,620 – $60,710	+18.0%
8	Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,830	$30,030 – $52,230	+17.6%
9	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,570	$61,500 – $109,580	+16.1%
10	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,330	$38,030 – $85,830	+14.5%
11	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,540	$73,520 – $201,030	+14.4%
12	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,880	$30,630 – $46,650	+13.5%
13	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,660	$50,790 – $69,660	+12.1%
14	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,990	$29,450 – $54,060	+11.4%
15	BakersNo formal educational credential	$40,880	$22,190 – $54,760	+10.0%
16	Nuclear EngineersBachelor's degree	$146,850	$112,760 – $280,220	+9.6%
17	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,500	$30,210 – $87,360	+8.7%
18	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$264,690	$172,780 – $357,420	+8.4%
19	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,160	$32,700 – $57,370	+7.6%
20	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,320	$34,990 – $61,360	+6.7%
21	Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,900	$36,420 – $66,480	+5.5%
22	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,450	$35,920 – $58,670	+5.5%
23	TutorsSome college, no degree	$45,570	$20,990 – $72,190	+5.1%
24	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,700	$39,200 – $99,470	+4.6%
25	Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$37,410	$22,440 – $37,410	+4.4%
26	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$39,790	$27,640 – $43,250	+3.9%
27	Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,140	$33,670 – $60,370	+3.8%
28	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,850	$36,680 – $63,420	+3.3%
29	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,690	$36,420 – $73,810	+3.0%
30	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,840	$81,120 – $163,280	+2.7%
31	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,420	$35,620 – $56,570	+2.7%
32	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$36,510 – $60,680	+2.5%
33	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,660	$75,880 – $157,030	+2.4%
34	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,650	$54,330 – $76,360	+2.4%
35	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,000	$35,920 – $63,540	+2.1%
36	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,690	$36,400 – $96,340	+2.0%
37	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,330	$24,290 – $72,880	+1.5%
38	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,630	$32,240 – $52,830	+1.4%
39	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$40,580	$24,870 – $47,270	+1.1%
40	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,220	$37,510 – $51,310	+1.0%
41	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,160	$37,780 – $60,710	+0.9%
42	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,020	$31,640 – $79,300	+0.8%
43	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,030	$31,180 – $59,060	+0.6%
44	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,800	$23,540 – $45,650	+0.4%
45	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,330	$33,890 – $60,670	+0.1%
46	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,390	$42,600 – $75,280	-0.1%
47	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$38,560	$27,570 – $62,160	-0.2%
48	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,140	$36,180 – $68,520	-0.3%
49	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,770	$35,350 – $62,120	-0.9%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,020	$28,220 – $75,030	-1.0%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chattanooga, TN-GA

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