Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Johnson City, TN

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

Cost of living: prices in Johnson City, TN run 12.1% below the national average (2024), so a Johnson City, 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 Johnson City, TN

OccupationMedian, Johnson City, TN · vs. national

1Social Workers, All Other$88,380
Bachelor's degree
$36,820 – $112,170+22.9%
2Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$75,010
Bachelor's degree
$57,370 – $99,460+17.5%
3Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$57,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,880 – $81,640+15.3%
4Social and Community Service Managers$89,380
Bachelor's degree
$57,870 – $137,090+11.2%
5Postal Service Clerks$68,810
No formal educational credential
$54,330 – $76,360+10.8%
6Administrative Services Managers$123,240
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $187,010+8.0%
7Opticians, Dispensing$51,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,260 – $72,360+7.9%
8Dentists, General$182,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,440 – $315,900+6.8%
9Production Workers, All Other$42,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,220 – $49,270+5.9%
10Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$82,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,050 – $108,890+5.5%
11Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$51,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $64,540+5.4%
12Physicians, All Other$280,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$164,630 – $413,520+5.4%
13Counselors, All Other$52,880
Master's degree
$48,090 – $61,730+4.0%
14Insurance Sales Agents$63,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $63,400+1.8%
15Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$96,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,010 – $96,530+1.3%
16Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,090 – $79,690+0.9%
17Rehabilitation Counselors$47,020
Master's degree
$35,680 – $54,250+0.4%
18Forest and Conservation Technicians$53,730
Associate's degree
$46,450 – $76,900-1.5%
19Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$49,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,070 – $78,430-1.6%
20Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$61,500
Bachelor's degree
$48,600 – $76,460-1.9%
21Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,010
Bachelor's degree
$51,750 – $79,170-2.1%
22Education Administrators, Postsecondary$102,330
Master's degree
$64,790 – $212,300-2.2%
23Information and Record Clerks, All Other$48,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,430 – $58,280-2.3%
24Medical Transcriptionists$39,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,280 – $50,200-2.4%
25Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$43,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,210 – $44,730-2.6%
26Obstetricians and Gynecologists$284,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,090 – $501,750-2.8%
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$58,710
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-3.0%
28Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$44,990
No formal educational credential
$34,340 – $45,550-3.1%
29Driver/Sales Workers$37,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$18,480 – $45,690-3.1%
30Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$56,390
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360-3.6%
31Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,560
Bachelor's degree
$48,750 – $78,610-3.9%
32Chefs and Head Cooks$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,400 – $92,920-4.0%
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$61,330
Bachelor's degree
$48,770 – $76,840-4.1%
34First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$46,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,700 – $73,290-4.3%
35Medical Equipment Preparers$45,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,980 – $58,480-4.7%
36Helpers--Production Workers$37,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,440 – $46,840-5.0%
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,980
Associate's degree
$51,450 – $95,750-5.2%
38Dental Assistants$45,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,840 – $59,900-5.3%
39Occupational Therapists$94,940
Master's degree
$59,120 – $116,480-5.4%
40First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$46,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,560 – $71,130-5.4%
41Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$60,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,450 – $85,740-5.8%
42Veterinarians$122,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,170 – $161,260-5.8%
43Manicurists and Pedicurists$33,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$19,880 – $47,730-5.8%
44Physical Therapists$96,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,230 – $126,000-5.9%
45Physical Therapist Assistants$64,270
Associate's degree
$46,640 – $81,790-6.0%
46Home Appliance Repairers$47,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,210 – $57,150-6.6%
47First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$81,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $131,110-6.6%
48Mechanical Engineers$97,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,630 – $126,190-6.8%
49Financial Specialists, All Other$75,460
Bachelor's degree
$41,500 – $91,560-7.0%
50Parts Salespersons$35,870
No formal educational credential
$24,170 – $59,480-7.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJohnson City, TN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,380	$36,820 – $112,170	+22.9%
2	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$75,010	$57,370 – $99,460	+17.5%
3	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,970	$35,880 – $81,640	+15.3%
4	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$89,380	$57,870 – $137,090	+11.2%
5	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$68,810	$54,330 – $76,360	+10.8%
6	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,240	$66,490 – $187,010	+8.0%
7	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,010	$35,260 – $72,360	+7.9%
8	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$182,660	$63,440 – $315,900	+6.8%
9	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,480	$30,220 – $49,270	+5.9%
10	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,300	$47,050 – $108,890	+5.5%
11	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,060	$36,860 – $64,540	+5.4%
12	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$280,260	$164,630 – $413,520	+5.4%
13	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$52,880	$48,090 – $61,730	+4.0%
14	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,400	$38,000 – $63,400	+1.8%
15	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,530	$57,010 – $96,530	+1.3%
16	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,750	$57,090 – $79,690	+0.9%
17	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$47,020	$35,680 – $54,250	+0.4%
18	Forest and Conservation TechniciansAssociate's degree	$53,730	$46,450 – $76,900	-1.5%
19	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,830	$31,070 – $78,430	-1.6%
20	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,500	$48,600 – $76,460	-1.9%
21	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,010	$51,750 – $79,170	-2.1%
22	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$102,330	$64,790 – $212,300	-2.2%
23	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,380	$32,430 – $58,280	-2.3%
24	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,430	$37,280 – $50,200	-2.4%
25	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,480	$32,210 – $44,730	-2.6%
26	Obstetricians and GynecologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$284,630	$65,090 – $501,750	-2.8%
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$58,710	$42,390 – $81,040	-3.0%
28	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$44,990	$34,340 – $45,550	-3.1%
29	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,560	$18,480 – $45,690	-3.1%
30	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$56,390	$42,600 – $76,360	-3.6%
31	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,560	$48,750 – $78,610	-3.9%
32	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$29,400 – $92,920	-4.0%
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$61,330	$48,770 – $76,840	-4.1%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,420	$27,700 – $73,290	-4.3%
35	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,470	$32,980 – $58,480	-4.7%
36	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,120	$29,440 – $46,840	-5.0%
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,980	$51,450 – $95,750	-5.2%
38	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,540	$35,840 – $59,900	-5.3%
39	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,940	$59,120 – $116,480	-5.4%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,450	$35,560 – $71,130	-5.4%
41	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,200	$49,450 – $85,740	-5.8%
42	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,580	$95,170 – $161,260	-5.8%
43	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$33,690	$19,880 – $47,730	-5.8%
44	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$96,660	$62,230 – $126,000	-5.9%
45	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,270	$46,640 – $81,790	-6.0%
46	Home Appliance RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,620	$37,210 – $57,150	-6.6%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,700	$47,200 – $131,110	-6.6%
48	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,040	$66,630 – $126,190	-6.8%
49	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,460	$41,500 – $91,560	-7.0%
50	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$35,870	$24,170 – $59,480	-7.1%

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