Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, TN

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

Cost of living: prices in Jackson, TN run 14.5% below the national average (2024), so a Jackson, TN salary is worth about 1.17× 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 Jackson, TN

OccupationMedian, Jackson, TN · vs. national

1General Internal Medicine Physicians$412,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,080 – $412,460+60.8%
2Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$63,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,080 – $77,280+27.4%
3Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$82,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,450 – $97,960+25.9%
4Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$58,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,490 – $75,230+19.7%
5Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$76,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,540 – $91,490+19.7%
6Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,950 – $95,250+18.2%
7Medical Transcriptionists$46,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,300 – $56,770+15.5%
8Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$58,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,950 – $71,060+13.9%
9Production Workers, All Other$45,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,030 – $60,000+13.4%
10Medical Records Specialists$57,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,560 – $81,020+11.8%
11Chefs and Head Cooks$69,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,520 – $89,590+10.9%
12Social and Community Service Managers$88,690
Bachelor's degree
$56,660 – $121,150+10.3%
13Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$46,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $47,350+10.1%
14Food Processing Workers, All Other$43,150
No formal educational credential
$35,460 – $50,960+8.7%
15Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$45,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,490 – $49,300+7.2%
16Helpers--Production Workers$41,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,310 – $46,160+5.8%
17Counselors, All Other$52,880
Master's degree
$50,340 – $57,480+4.0%
18Packers and Packagers, Hand$37,670
No formal educational credential
$26,830 – $50,180+3.8%
19Postal Service Clerks$64,290
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+3.5%
20Maintenance Workers, Machinery$62,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,780 – $76,000+3.4%
21Insurance Sales Agents$64,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,790 – $227,510+3.3%
22Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,710 – $62,770+2.8%
23Forensic Science Technicians$74,020
Bachelor's degree
$48,540 – $102,490+2.7%
24Sheet Metal Workers$63,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,100 – $83,300+2.4%
25Sewing Machine Operators$37,380
No formal educational credential
$28,990 – $43,400+1.9%
26Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,270 – $59,120+1.4%
27Facilities Managers$108,090
Bachelor's degree
$76,320 – $152,700+1.3%
28Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,800 – $66,720+1.1%
29Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$50,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $64,080+0.8%
30Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$38,620
No formal educational credential
$30,610 – $43,370+0.8%
31Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$39,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,640 – $51,180+0.7%
32Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$50,050
No formal educational credential
$23,890 – $60,240+0.7%
33Opticians, Dispensing$47,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,030 – $72,180+0.5%
34Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,440 – $57,640+0.1%
35Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,000
Associate's degree
$48,360 – $75,630-0.2%
36Pharmacists$140,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,910 – $154,870-0.3%
37Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,230 – $62,430-0.5%
38Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$63,440
Bachelor's degree
$41,960 – $76,160-0.6%
39Meter Readers, Utilities$47,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $83,450-0.6%
40Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,420
Bachelor's degree
$38,480 – $80,770-0.8%
41Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,830 – $63,620-0.8%
42Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$48,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,330 – $59,160-0.9%
43Driver/Sales Workers$38,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$19,010 – $51,010-1.2%
44Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$49,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,640 – $77,800-1.4%
45Industrial Production Managers$123,840
Bachelor's degree
$75,050 – $197,730-1.8%
46First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$61,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,120 – $96,810-1.9%
47First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$48,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,630 – $73,650-2.2%
48Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $82,740-2.5%
49Light Truck Drivers$43,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,020 – $91,260-2.7%
50Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,430 – $61,910-2.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJackson, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$412,460	$82,080 – $412,460	+60.8%
2	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,900	$36,080 – $77,280	+27.4%
3	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,800	$45,450 – $97,960	+25.9%
4	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,950	$35,490 – $75,230	+19.7%
5	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,480	$47,540 – $91,490	+19.7%
6	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,260	$46,950 – $95,250	+18.2%
7	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,680	$27,300 – $56,770	+15.5%
8	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,490	$42,950 – $71,060	+13.9%
9	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,500	$32,030 – $60,000	+13.4%
10	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,150	$37,560 – $81,020	+11.8%
11	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,280	$40,520 – $89,590	+10.9%
12	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$88,690	$56,660 – $121,150	+10.3%
13	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,650	$32,220 – $47,350	+10.1%
14	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$43,150	$35,460 – $50,960	+8.7%
15	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,850	$38,490 – $49,300	+7.2%
16	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,340	$34,310 – $46,160	+5.8%
17	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$52,880	$50,340 – $57,480	+4.0%
18	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$37,670	$26,830 – $50,180	+3.8%
19	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$64,290	$42,600 – $75,030	+3.5%
20	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,890	$40,780 – $76,000	+3.4%
21	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,310	$36,790 – $227,510	+3.3%
22	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,890	$37,710 – $62,770	+2.8%
23	Forensic Science TechniciansBachelor's degree	$74,020	$48,540 – $102,490	+2.7%
24	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,300	$36,100 – $83,300	+2.4%
25	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$37,380	$28,990 – $43,400	+1.9%
26	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,840	$34,270 – $59,120	+1.4%
27	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,090	$76,320 – $152,700	+1.3%
28	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,250	$38,800 – $66,720	+1.1%
29	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,720	$36,420 – $64,080	+0.8%
30	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$38,620	$30,610 – $43,370	+0.8%
31	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,920	$29,640 – $51,180	+0.7%
32	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$50,050	$23,890 – $60,240	+0.7%
33	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,480	$31,030 – $72,180	+0.5%
34	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,320	$35,440 – $57,640	+0.1%
35	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,000	$48,360 – $75,630	-0.2%
36	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,540	$106,910 – $154,870	-0.3%
37	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,450	$43,230 – $62,430	-0.5%
38	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$63,440	$41,960 – $76,160	-0.6%
39	Meter Readers, UtilitiesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,870	$36,370 – $83,450	-0.6%
40	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,420	$38,480 – $80,770	-0.8%
41	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,610	$40,830 – $63,620	-0.8%
42	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,250	$36,330 – $59,160	-0.9%
43	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,310	$19,010 – $51,010	-1.2%
44	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,910	$31,640 – $77,800	-1.4%
45	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,840	$75,050 – $197,730	-1.8%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,720	$42,120 – $96,810	-1.9%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,010	$33,630 – $73,650	-2.2%
48	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,010	$42,390 – $82,740	-2.5%
49	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,660	$27,020 – $91,260	-2.7%
50	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,180	$35,430 – $61,910	-2.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, TN

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