The Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Nashville, TN (2026)
The average salary in the Nashville metro area is $66,390 a year and the median is $50,390: 1% below the US median and 6% above Tennessee's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $52,310, 145th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $66,390US $69,770
- Median salary
- $50,390US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $24.23BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 96.3US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Nashville earn
| Percentile | Nashville area | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,060 | $28,600 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,630 | $35,830 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $50,390 | $47,380 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $77,810 | $71,050 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $113,970 | $103,130 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $66,390 | $60,800 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Nashville
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Nashville area at 96.3 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,340 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items96.3
- Housing (rents)104.6
- Goods96.2
- Utilities72
- Other services95.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 96.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 104.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 72 |
| Other services | 95.1 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Nashville
Mean annual wage in the Nashville area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Nashville area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $92,350 | $101,420 | -9% |
| Software Developer | $124,590 | $148,100 | -16% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $64,250 | $72,650 | -12% |
| Accountant | $84,930 | $94,750 | -10% |
| Electrician | $66,710 | $71,490 | -7% |
| Truck Driver | $62,400 | $59,710 | +5% |
| Customer Service Representative | $46,820 | $46,590 | 0% |
| Retail Salesperson | $36,610 | $37,310 | -2% |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,160 | $42,700 | -4% |
| General and Operations Manager | $141,440 | $134,940 | +5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $50,960 | $53,780 | -5% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $39,040 | $38,730 | +1% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Nashville
BLS publishes estimates for 582 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$228,090
- 2Nurse Anesthetist$213,970
- 3Physicist$208,710
- 4General Internal Medicine Physician$207,420
- 5Family Medicine Physician$201,510
- 6Judge$196,660
- 7Pediatrician, General$181,360
- 8Financial Manager$178,240
- 9Psychiatrist$174,970
- 10IT Manager$174,280
Jobs Nashville pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Tutor$59,950 · +25%
- 2Team Assembler$57,320 · +23%
- 3Neurodiagnostic Technologist$70,600 · +20%
- 4Dentist$228,090 · +19%
- 5Chef$75,590 · +13%
- 6Education Administrator, Postsecondary$141,690 · +12%
- 7Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender$49,590 · +11%
- 8Administrative Services Manager$142,830 · +10%
- 9Social and Community Service Manager$97,360 · +10%
- 10Emergency Medical Technician$50,880 · +9%
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 Nashville: FAQ
What is the average salary in Nashville?
Across all occupations in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $66,390 and the median is $50,390, 1% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,099,300 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Nashville?
Above $50,390 out-earns half of workers in the Nashville area; the top 25% start at $77,810 and the top 10% at $113,970. Prices run 4% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $96,340 here.
Is Nashville expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Nashville metro is 96.3 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 104.6, goods 96.2, utilities 72.0. At local prices the median wage is worth $52,310, 145th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Nashville?
By mean annual wage: Dentist ($228,090), Nurse Anesthetist ($213,970), Physicist ($208,710), General Internal Medicine Physician ($207,420), Family Medicine Physician ($201,510) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).