First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary in Tennessee
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in Tennessee have a median of $40,500 a year, below the national $44,080 (−8%); the state ranks 29th of 51 states by median. That is 15% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and North Carolina pay more (up to $45,550 in Virginia) and Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas pay less (down to $33,800 in Arkansas). Tennessee employs 29,100 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, 8.87 per 1,000 jobs, the 12th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.13 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $14.18 | $16.82 | $19.47 | $26.66 | $30.35 | $21.50 | 29,100 | 8.87 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $29,500 | $34,980 | $40,500 | $55,460 | $63,140 | $44,720 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.40 | $17.30 | $21.19 | $26.24 | $31.52 | $22.20 | 1,223,240 | – | – |
| Annual | $29,940 | $35,980 | $44,080 | $54,570 | $65,570 | $46,180 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 29th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 12th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.13
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.87
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee publish a row for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $21.94 | $45,630 | $33,210 | $67,970 | 8,950 | 8.14 | 1.03 |
| Knoxville, TN | $19.89 | $41,380 | $30,210 | $63,170 | 4,150 | 9.78 | 1.24 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $19.05 | $39,620 | $29,520 | $62,220 | 5,350 | 8.74 | 1.11 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $18.85 | $39,220 | $29,110 | $62,290 | 2,520 | 9.38 | 1.19 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $18.24 | $37,950 | $28,800 | $60,010 | 1,140 | 11.07 | 1.41 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $17.93 | $37,300 | $28,710 | $59,960 | 1,140 | 9.52 | 1.21 |
| Johnson City, TN | $17.69 | $36,800 | $27,950 | $59,550 | 980 | 12.00 | 1.53 |
| Jackson, TN | $17.63 | $36,660 | $28,340 | $59,980 | 740 | 8.71 | 1.11 |
| Cleveland, TN | $17.59 | $36,580 | $27,930 | $58,730 | 500 | 11.72 | 1.49 |
| Morristown, TN | $17.49 | $36,380 | $26,840 | $60,460 | 440 | 9.38 | 1.19 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $18.49 | $38,450 | $28,920 | $62,340 | 1,870 | 13.31 | 1.69 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $18.00 | $37,440 | $28,870 | $59,920 | 1,130 | 9.83 | 1.25 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.95 | $37,340 | $28,740 | $59,980 | 1,080 | 9.81 | 1.25 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.51 | $36,420 | $28,550 | $59,180 | 1,070 | 9.14 | 1.16 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $19.47 | $40,500 | 29,100 | 1.13 |
| Alabama | $17.84 | $37,110 | 19,180 | 1.15 |
| Arkansas | $16.25 | $33,800 | 11,200 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $18.56 | $38,600 | 48,420 | 1.26 |
| Kentucky | $17.21 | $35,810 | 18,010 | 1.14 |
| Missouri | $17.98 | $37,400 | 21,650 | 0.94 |
| Mississippi | $17.56 | $36,530 | 10,480 | 1.15 |
| North Carolina | $21.64 | $45,010 | 39,750 | 1.02 |
| Virginia | $21.90 | $45,550 | 30,640 | 0.95 |
See the national page for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (every state ranked) and the Tennessee wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Tennessee estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.