Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cleveland, TN

Each occupation's median wage in Cleveland, TN 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 Cleveland, TN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Cleveland, TN run 11.9% below the national average (2024), so a Cleveland, TN salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Cleveland, TN

OccupationMedian, Cleveland, TN · vs. national

1Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$109,730
Bachelor's degree
$51,290 – $153,450+4.6%
2Light Truck Drivers$45,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,570 – $74,220+2.0%
3Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$50,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,760 – $71,780+0.9%
4Forest and Conservation Technicians$54,900
Associate's degree
$41,660 – $81,720+0.6%
5Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,950 – $51,520+0.4%
6Chefs and Head Cooks$62,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,730 – $82,720-0.5%
7Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,210
Bachelor's degree
$50,280 – $73,390-0.7%
8Sewing Machine Operators$36,400
No formal educational credential
$22,480 – $43,730-0.7%
9Food Processing Workers, All Other$39,380
No formal educational credential
$33,310 – $50,610-0.8%
10Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,000 – $47,600-1.2%
11Driver/Sales Workers$38,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$19,700 – $61,790-1.4%
12Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$93,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,510 – $100,500-1.5%
13Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$76,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,660 – $115,210-1.9%
14Helpers--Production Workers$38,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,150 – $46,740-2.3%
15Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$62,820
Master's degree
$32,390 – $77,900-2.3%
16Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,020
Bachelor's degree
$40,670 – $77,340-2.6%
17Meter Readers, Utilities$46,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,860 – $61,000-3.3%
18Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$48,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$30,560 – $79,210-3.4%
19Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$43,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,840 – $48,880-4.0%
20Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,760
Bachelor's degree
$47,960 – $76,800-4.1%
21Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$45,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,590 – $47,380-4.1%
22Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,460
No formal educational credential
$30,210 – $44,850-4.4%
23First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$46,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,720 – $67,470-4.6%
24First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$59,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,570 – $95,690-4.7%
25Electricians$60,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,080 – $81,320-4.7%
26Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$48,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,880 – $56,380-5.1%
27Production Workers, All Other$38,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,000 – $48,670-5.2%
28First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$45,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,190 – $76,310-5.4%
29Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,150 – $52,280-5.6%
30Cost Estimators$74,350
Bachelor's degree
$42,690 – $102,560-5.6%
31Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,200 – $58,220-5.6%
32Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,560
Bachelor's degree
$50,680 – $75,420-5.6%
33Dental Assistants$45,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,240 – $59,120-5.9%
34Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$99,640
Master's degree
$76,280 – $120,420-5.9%
35Sheet Metal Workers$58,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $78,080-5.9%
36Industrial Engineers$96,360
Bachelor's degree
$73,700 – $125,900-5.9%
37Physical Therapist Assistants$64,290
Associate's degree
$47,200 – $80,430-6.0%
38Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$32,770
No formal educational credential
$27,700 – $36,030-6.1%
39Construction Laborers$44,190
No formal educational credential
$32,860 – $63,390-6.2%
40Cooks, Restaurant$35,030
No formal educational credential
$27,500 – $43,090-6.3%
41Industrial Machinery Mechanics$60,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,070 – $75,770-6.4%
42Coaches and Scouts$44,090
Bachelor's degree
$29,350 – $61,350-6.8%
43First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$74,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,220 – $108,630-6.9%
44Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$43,020
No formal educational credential
$29,880 – $48,030-7.3%
45Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$59,330
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $74,730-7.3%
46Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$58,240
Bachelor's degree
$37,630 – $58,240-7.5%
47Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$45,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,110 – $64,620-7.6%
48Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$99,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,670 – $150,280-7.6%
49Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$44,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,950 – $58,490-8.3%
50Postal Service Mail Carriers$55,490
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-8.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCleveland, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$109,730	$51,290 – $153,450	+4.6%
2	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,760	$27,570 – $74,220	+2.0%
3	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,770	$34,760 – $71,780	+0.9%
4	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$54,900	$41,660 – $81,720	+0.6%
5	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,510	$35,950 – $51,520	+0.4%
6	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,180	$40,730 – $82,720	-0.5%
7	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,210	$50,280 – $73,390	-0.7%
8	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,400	$22,480 – $43,730	-0.7%
9	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$39,380	$33,310 – $50,610	-0.8%
10	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,110	$31,000 – $47,600	-1.2%
11	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,210	$19,700 – $61,790	-1.4%
12	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,910	$54,510 – $100,500	-1.5%
13	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,550	$50,660 – $115,210	-1.9%
14	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,170	$25,150 – $46,740	-2.3%
15	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$62,820	$32,390 – $77,900	-2.3%
16	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$58,020	$40,670 – $77,340	-2.6%
17	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,560	$34,860 – $61,000	-3.3%
18	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,900	$30,560 – $79,210	-3.4%
19	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,460	$29,840 – $48,880	-4.0%
20	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,760	$47,960 – $76,800	-4.1%
21	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,250	$30,590 – $47,380	-4.1%
22	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,460	$30,210 – $44,850	-4.4%
23	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,350	$32,720 – $67,470	-4.6%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,910	$39,570 – $95,690	-4.7%
25	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,250	$43,080 – $81,320	-4.7%
26	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,080	$39,880 – $56,380	-5.1%
27	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,010	$30,000 – $48,670	-5.2%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,880	$27,190 – $76,310	-5.4%
29	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,720	$32,150 – $52,280	-5.6%
30	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$74,350	$42,690 – $102,560	-5.6%
31	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,560	$34,200 – $58,220	-5.6%
32	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,560	$50,680 – $75,420	-5.6%
33	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,230	$36,240 – $59,120	-5.9%
34	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$99,640	$76,280 – $120,420	-5.9%
35	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,160	$39,130 – $78,080	-5.9%
36	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,360	$73,700 – $125,900	-5.9%
37	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,290	$47,200 – $80,430	-6.0%
38	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$32,770	$27,700 – $36,030	-6.1%
39	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$44,190	$32,860 – $63,390	-6.2%
40	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$35,030	$27,500 – $43,090	-6.3%
41	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,420	$40,070 – $75,770	-6.4%
42	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$44,090	$29,350 – $61,350	-6.8%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,380	$44,220 – $108,630	-6.9%
44	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$43,020	$29,880 – $48,030	-7.3%
45	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,330	$49,780 – $74,730	-7.3%
46	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$58,240	$37,630 – $58,240	-7.5%
47	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,830	$29,110 – $64,620	-7.6%
48	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,130	$55,670 – $150,280	-7.6%
49	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,520	$24,950 – $58,490	-8.3%
50	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$55,490	$42,390 – $81,040	-8.4%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cleveland, TN

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