Nursing Assistants Salary in Tennessee
Nursing Assistants in Tennessee have a median of $37,990 a year, below the national $42,260 (−10%); the state ranks 40th of 51 states by median. That is 20% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky pay more (up to $43,200 in Virginia) and Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi pay less (down to $31,520 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 27,040 nursing assistants, 8.25 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.89 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 | $14.96 | $17.09 | $18.27 | $19.66 | $21.47 | $18.38 | 27,040 | 8.25 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $31,110 | $35,560 | $37,990 | $40,880 | $44,660 | $38,230 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 40th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.89
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.25
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 nursing assistants, 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 | $18.99 | $39,510 | $34,250 | $49,870 | 7,420 | 6.75 | 0.72 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $18.65 | $38,790 | $31,060 | $44,660 | 2,420 | 8.99 | 0.96 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $18.27 | $38,010 | $31,660 | $44,540 | 4,930 | 8.05 | 0.86 |
| Knoxville, TN | $18.27 | $38,000 | $31,140 | $43,450 | 3,860 | 9.09 | 0.98 |
| Morristown, TN | $18.09 | $37,620 | $30,240 | $40,230 | 350 | 7.45 | 0.80 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $18.05 | $37,550 | $30,100 | $43,710 | 1,400 | 11.69 | 1.25 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.94 | $37,320 | $29,800 | $45,050 | 620 | 6.02 | 0.65 |
| Johnson City, TN | $17.94 | $37,310 | $29,510 | $43,830 | 1,390 | 17.05 | 1.83 |
| Cleveland, TN | $17.85 | $37,130 | $30,400 | $37,920 | 440 | 10.21 | 1.10 |
| Jackson, TN | $17.74 | $36,900 | $29,800 | $39,880 | 1,080 | 12.82 | 1.38 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.74 | $36,900 | $29,660 | $41,970 | 1,040 | 9.40 | 1.01 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.54 | $36,470 | $29,730 | $38,600 | 990 | 7.05 | 0.76 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.51 | $36,430 | $29,960 | $38,590 | 1,100 | 9.58 | 1.03 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.48 | $36,350 | $29,260 | $38,470 | 1,360 | 11.57 | 1.24 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $18.27 | $37,990 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
| Alabama | $16.41 | $34,140 | 25,250 | 1.28 |
| Arkansas | $16.55 | $34,430 | 17,260 | 1.42 |
| Georgia | $18.12 | $37,680 | 43,440 | 0.95 |
| Kentucky | $18.45 | $38,370 | 23,410 | 1.26 |
| Missouri | $18.11 | $37,680 | 34,050 | 1.24 |
| Mississippi | $15.15 | $31,520 | 14,200 | 1.31 |
| North Carolina | $18.49 | $38,460 | 64,010 | 1.39 |
| Virginia | $20.77 | $43,200 | 40,580 | 1.06 |
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (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.