The Chattanooga, TN-GA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA (2026)
The average salary in the Chattanooga metro area is $58,680 a year and the median is $46,700: 8% below the US median and 1% below Tennessee's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $51,060, 190th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $58,680US $69,770
- Median salary
- $46,700US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $22.45BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 91.5US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Chattanooga earn
| Percentile | Chattanooga area | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,730 | $28,600 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,010 | $35,830 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $46,700 | $47,380 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $67,130 | $71,050 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $99,740 | $103,130 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $58,680 | $60,800 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Chattanooga
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Chattanooga area at 91.5 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $91,460 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items91.5
- Housing (rents)76.6
- Goods96
- Utilities74.2
- Other services95.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 91.5 |
| Housing (rents) | 76.6 |
| Goods | 96 |
| Utilities | 74.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Chattanooga
Mean annual wage in the Chattanooga area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Chattanooga area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $85,220 | $101,420 | -16% |
| Software Developer | $113,630 | $148,100 | -23% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $59,800 | $72,650 | -18% |
| Accountant | $83,350 | $94,750 | -12% |
| Electrician | $66,060 | $71,490 | -8% |
| Truck Driver | $56,740 | $59,710 | -5% |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,490 | $46,590 | -5% |
| Retail Salesperson | $34,400 | $37,310 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistant | $38,460 | $42,700 | -10% |
| General and Operations Manager | $128,920 | $134,940 | -4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $49,980 | $53,780 | -7% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $35,190 | $38,730 | -9% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Chattanooga
BLS publishes estimates for 444 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Dentist$181,130
- 2Pediatrician, General$179,190
- 3Lawyer$170,640
- 4Nuclear Engineer$164,940
- 5Architectural and Engineering Manager$163,010
- 6Financial Manager$162,300
- 7IT Manager$155,330
- 8Commercial Pilot$140,930
- 9Naturopathic Physician$140,800
- 10Marketing Manager$135,930
Jobs Chattanooga pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Medical Records Specialist$76,090 · +34%
- 2Speech-Language Pathology Assistant$56,640 · +11%
- 3Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$49,800 · +8%
- 4Training and Development Specialist$79,310 · +5%
- 5Insurance Underwriter$98,340 · +5%
- 6Team Assembler$47,840 · +3%
- 7Education Administrator, Postsecondary$129,630 · +2%
- 8Food Batchmaker$44,640 · +2%
- 9Helpers--Production Worker$41,870 · +2%
- 10Administrative Services Manager$131,350 · +1%
Compare
Other metro areas in Tennessee
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Chattanooga: FAQ
What is the average salary in Chattanooga?
Across all occupations in the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $58,680 and the median is $46,700, 8% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 268,750 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Chattanooga?
Above $46,700 out-earns half of workers in the Chattanooga area; the top 25% start at $67,130 and the top 10% at $99,740. Prices run 9% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $91,460 here.
Is Chattanooga expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Chattanooga metro is 91.5 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 76.5, goods 96.0, utilities 74.2. At local prices the median wage is worth $51,060, 190th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga?
By mean annual wage: Dentist ($181,130), Pediatrician, General ($179,190), Lawyer ($170,640), Nuclear Engineer ($164,940), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($163,010) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).