Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Tennessee

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

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 · vs. national

1Tire Builders$74,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,560 – $82,190+29.1%
2Dentists, General$215,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,360 – $311,900+25.9%
3Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other$82,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $82,090+19.0%
4Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$59,610
Bachelor's degree
$36,680 – $80,380+17.1%
5Tutors$50,280
Some college, no degree
$27,980 – $87,880+16.0%
6Physicians, All Other$301,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,560 – $503,430+13.3%
7Chefs and Head Cooks$69,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,410 – $98,860+11.7%
8Administrative Services Managers$127,410
Bachelor's degree
$71,530 – $213,230+11.6%
9Medical Transcriptionists$44,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$26,420 – $60,250+10.7%
10Database Administrators$115,500
Bachelor's degree
$59,050 – $163,600+10.4%
11Social and Community Service Managers$88,240
Bachelor's degree
$58,990 – $137,510+9.8%
12Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$45,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,100 – $62,560+9.7%
13Driver/Sales Workers$42,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,800 – $51,610+8.9%
14Food Processing Workers, All Other$42,690
No formal educational credential
$35,900 – $50,610+7.6%
15Opticians, Dispensing$49,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,740 – $74,160+5.5%
16Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$44,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,620 – $49,720+5.2%
17Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,010 – $74,310+5.0%
18Architectural and Civil Drafters$69,220
Associate's degree
$45,050 – $98,020+4.6%
19Brickmasons and Blockmasons$63,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,610 – $75,640+2.8%
20Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$36,640
No formal educational credential
$22,990 – $40,370+2.2%
21Computer Network Support Specialists$77,640
Associate's degree
$49,190 – $118,380+1.9%
22Postal Service Clerks$63,210
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+1.7%
23Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,040
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,900 – $167,410+1.5%
24Library Assistants, Clerical$37,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,180 – $54,230+1.4%
25Transportation Workers, All Other$46,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,120 – $66,650+1.4%
26General and Operations Managers$106,970
Bachelor's degree
$50,820 – $230,660+1.1%
27Food Batchmakers$42,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,850 – $56,570+0.8%
28Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,530 – $88,610+0.8%
29Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$47,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,000 – $74,920+0.5%
30Light Truck Drivers$45,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,190 – $83,480+0.4%
31Facilities Managers$106,730
Bachelor's degree
$70,010 – $167,990+0.1%
32Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,310 – $108,8900.0%
33Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,960 – $83,2800.0%
34Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,930 – $78,4600.0%
35Production Workers, All Other$40,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,310 – $59,4000.0%
36Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,050 – $62,810-0.1%
37Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$80,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,090 – $109,830-0.2%
38Sales and Related Workers, All Other$48,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$20,040 – $100,730-0.2%
39Butchers and Meat Cutters$39,960
No formal educational credential
$26,520 – $47,710-0.4%
40Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,000 – $63,710-0.4%
41Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,050
Associate's degree
$37,220 – $81,050-0.4%
42Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$46,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,780 – $62,400-0.5%
43Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,500 – $155,100-0.7%
44Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,820 – $79,930-0.7%
45Packers and Packagers, Hand$35,980
No formal educational credential
$26,940 – $46,990-0.8%
46Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,380 – $61,050-0.8%
47Cargo and Freight Agents$51,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,720 – $85,560-0.9%
48Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$47,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,570 – $67,200-1.0%
49First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$47,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,520 – $76,300-1.3%
50Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,070
Bachelor's degree
$37,800 – $87,210-1.4%

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	vs. national
1	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,100	$45,560 – $82,190	+29.1%
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$215,290	$84,360 – $311,900	+25.9%
3	Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,090	$34,670 – $82,090	+19.0%
4	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$59,610	$36,680 – $80,380	+17.1%
5	TutorsSome college, no degree	$50,280	$27,980 – $87,880	+16.0%
6	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$301,290	$101,560 – $503,430	+13.3%
7	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,810	$45,410 – $98,860	+11.7%
8	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,410	$71,530 – $213,230	+11.6%
9	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,720	$26,420 – $60,250	+10.7%
10	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$115,500	$59,050 – $163,600	+10.4%
11	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$88,240	$58,990 – $137,510	+9.8%
12	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,620	$35,100 – $62,560	+9.7%
13	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,220	$20,800 – $51,610	+8.9%
14	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$42,690	$35,900 – $50,610	+7.6%
15	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,840	$34,740 – $74,160	+5.5%
16	Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,550	$34,620 – $49,720	+5.2%
17	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$36,010 – $74,310	+5.0%
18	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$69,220	$45,050 – $98,020	+4.6%
19	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,850	$46,610 – $75,640	+2.8%
20	Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$36,640	$22,990 – $40,370	+2.2%
21	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$77,640	$49,190 – $118,380	+1.9%
22	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,210	$42,600 – $75,030	+1.7%
23	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,040	$52,900 – $167,410	+1.5%
24	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,410	$24,180 – $54,230	+1.4%
25	Transportation Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,280	$26,120 – $66,650	+1.4%
26	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,970	$50,820 – $230,660	+1.1%
27	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,610	$34,850 – $56,570	+0.8%
28	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,010	$45,530 – $88,610	+0.8%
29	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,380	$26,000 – $74,920	+0.5%
30	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,050	$29,190 – $83,480	+0.4%
31	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,730	$70,010 – $167,990	+0.1%
32	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,010	$47,310 – $108,890	0.0%
33	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,620	$39,960 – $83,280	0.0%
34	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,630	$33,930 – $78,460	0.0%
35	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,130	$31,310 – $59,400	0.0%
36	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,190	$33,050 – $62,810	-0.1%
37	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,050	$60,090 – $109,830	-0.2%
38	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,190	$20,040 – $100,730	-0.2%
39	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$39,960	$26,520 – $47,710	-0.4%
40	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,550	$35,000 – $63,710	-0.4%
41	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$62,050	$37,220 – $81,050	-0.4%
42	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,440	$35,780 – $62,400	-0.5%
43	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,720	$63,500 – $155,100	-0.7%
44	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,290	$34,820 – $79,930	-0.7%
45	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$35,980	$26,940 – $46,990	-0.8%
46	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,920	$33,380 – $61,050	-0.8%
47	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,800	$36,720 – $85,560	-0.9%
48	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,940	$33,570 – $67,200	-1.0%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,880	$28,520 – $76,300	-1.3%
50	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,070	$37,800 – $87,210	-1.4%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Tennessee

More for Tennessee

Metro areas in Tennessee

By field in Tennessee

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state