Registered Nurses Salary in Tennessee
In Tennessee, registered nurses earn a median $81,500 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−16%); the state ranks 41st of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 72% more than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and Missouri pay more (up to $93,600 in Virginia) and Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama pay less (down to $77,080 in Alabama). Tennessee employs 72,200 registered nurses, 22.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 16th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.01 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 | $30.76 | $36.28 | $39.18 | $45.79 | $50.44 | $41.05 | 72,200 | 22.02 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $63,970 | $75,460 | $81,500 | $95,250 | $104,920 | $85,390 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 41st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 16th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.01
- Jobs per 1,000
- 22.02
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 registered nurses, 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 | $40.40 | $84,040 | $69,480 | $112,030 | 25,100 | 22.83 | 1.05 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $39.18 | $81,500 | $65,280 | $112,310 | 13,760 | 22.50 | 1.04 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $38.35 | $79,770 | $65,150 | $102,930 | 6,460 | 24.05 | 1.11 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $38.20 | $79,450 | $57,680 | $100,590 | 1,670 | 16.19 | 0.74 |
| Johnson City, TN | $37.34 | $77,660 | $61,380 | $117,770 | 2,740 | 33.54 | 1.54 |
| Knoxville, TN | $37.13 | $77,240 | $57,070 | $97,360 | 9,500 | 22.37 | 1.03 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $36.89 | $76,730 | $62,280 | $100,750 | 2,660 | 22.22 | 1.02 |
| Morristown, TN | $36.38 | $75,680 | $57,160 | $93,460 | 710 | 14.92 | 0.69 |
| Jackson, TN | $36.35 | $75,610 | $57,840 | $91,680 | 1,930 | 22.86 | 1.05 |
| Cleveland, TN | $35.00 | $72,800 | $56,220 | $79,730 | 630 | 14.63 | 0.67 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $37.37 | $77,720 | $58,780 | $92,670 | 2,410 | 21.00 | 0.97 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $36.72 | $76,390 | $57,810 | $93,370 | 1,860 | 15.88 | 0.73 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $36.34 | $75,580 | $59,660 | $93,830 | 1,570 | 14.27 | 0.66 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $36.26 | $75,410 | $54,860 | $93,760 | 1,810 | 12.85 | 0.59 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $39.18 | $81,500 | 72,200 | 1.01 |
| Alabama | $37.06 | $77,080 | 54,340 | 1.18 |
| Arkansas | $37.95 | $78,940 | 29,400 | 1.04 |
| Georgia | $44.98 | $93,550 | 100,950 | 0.95 |
| Kentucky | $38.96 | $81,040 | 50,300 | 1.16 |
| Missouri | $39.32 | $81,780 | 76,310 | 1.20 |
| Mississippi | $37.06 | $77,090 | 29,060 | 1.15 |
| North Carolina | $40.56 | $84,350 | 111,120 | 1.03 |
| Virginia | $45.00 | $93,600 | 77,490 | 0.87 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (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.