Human Resources Specialists Salary in Tennessee
Human Resources Specialists in Tennessee have a median of $67,370 a year, below the national $75,940 (−11%); the state ranks 36th of 51 states by median. Human Resources Specialists earn 42% more than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky pay more (up to $82,090 in Virginia) and Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas pay less (down to $55,010 in Arkansas). Tennessee employs 21,460 human resources specialists, 6.54 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.12 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 | $21.94 | $25.91 | $32.39 | $40.96 | $52.88 | $35.38 | 21,460 | 6.54 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $45,630 | $53,890 | $67,370 | $85,200 | $109,990 | $73,590 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.69 | $28.18 | $36.51 | $47.78 | $61.89 | $39.42 | 912,430 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,180 | $58,610 | $75,940 | $99,380 | $128,720 | $81,990 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 36th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.12
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.54
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 human resources specialists, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $33.24 | $69,150 | $45,640 | $109,780 | 3,650 | 5.96 | 1.02 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $32.39 | $67,380 | $48,380 | $113,340 | 8,210 | 7.47 | 1.27 |
| Knoxville, TN | $32.39 | $67,370 | $46,490 | $107,710 | 2,980 | 7.02 | 1.20 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $31.58 | $65,680 | $45,100 | $112,400 | 540 | 5.20 | 0.89 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $31.07 | $64,620 | $40,280 | $110,750 | 530 | 4.43 | 0.75 |
| Jackson, TN | $30.50 | $63,430 | $41,980 | $111,870 | 370 | 4.41 | 0.75 |
| Johnson City, TN | $29.68 | $61,730 | $42,320 | $110,950 | 360 | 4.36 | 0.74 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $29.65 | $61,660 | $41,090 | $108,550 | 1,550 | 5.76 | 0.98 |
| Cleveland, TN | $29.12 | $60,560 | $39,150 | $101,420 | 200 | 4.68 | 0.80 |
| Morristown, TN | $28.76 | $59,820 | $42,260 | $112,070 | 190 | 4.01 | 0.68 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $33.87 | $70,460 | $45,280 | $107,100 | 480 | 4.41 | 0.75 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $30.81 | $64,080 | $43,100 | $102,450 | 440 | 3.73 | 0.64 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $29.71 | $61,810 | $38,540 | $102,860 | 530 | 3.77 | 0.64 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $29.19 | $60,710 | $45,770 | $90,120 | 570 | 4.92 | 0.84 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $32.39 | $67,370 | 21,460 | 1.12 |
| Alabama | $31.22 | $64,940 | 11,080 | 0.89 |
| Arkansas | $26.45 | $55,010 | 6,230 | 0.81 |
| Georgia | $33.93 | $70,570 | 32,110 | 1.12 |
| Kentucky | $33.18 | $69,010 | 10,900 | 0.93 |
| Missouri | $32.21 | $66,990 | 17,650 | 1.02 |
| Mississippi | $28.99 | $60,300 | 4,850 | 0.71 |
| North Carolina | $35.13 | $73,070 | 31,140 | 1.07 |
| Virginia | $39.47 | $82,090 | 28,540 | 1.18 |
See the national page for Human Resources Specialists (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.