Retail Salespersons Salary in Tennessee
Retail Salespersons in Tennessee have a median of $31,950 a year, below the national $35,410 (−10%); the state ranks 35th of 51 states by median. That is 33% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and Missouri pay more (up to $34,240 in Virginia) and North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas and Mississippi pay less (down to $28,640 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 87,380 retail salespersons, 26.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 13th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.06 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 | $11.40 | $13.50 | $15.36 | $17.63 | $22.94 | $16.83 | 87,380 | 26.65 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $23,720 | $28,070 | $31,950 | $36,660 | $47,720 | $35,010 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.08 | $14.38 | $17.03 | $18.59 | $23.02 | $17.94 | 3,897,860 | – | – |
| Annual | $27,210 | $29,900 | $35,410 | $38,670 | $47,890 | $37,310 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 35th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 13th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 26.65
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 retail salespersons, 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 | $16.55 | $34,420 | $26,230 | $49,930 | 28,580 | 26.00 | 1.04 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $15.67 | $32,580 | $23,760 | $47,060 | 17,050 | 27.87 | 1.11 |
| Cleveland, TN | $15.46 | $32,160 | $23,570 | $45,630 | 1,230 | 28.66 | 1.14 |
| Morristown, TN | $15.26 | $31,750 | $22,370 | $48,680 | 1,190 | 25.16 | 1.00 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $15.12 | $31,460 | $23,010 | $47,430 | 7,020 | 26.11 | 1.04 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $15.00 | $31,200 | $24,250 | $45,850 | 3,620 | 30.25 | 1.21 |
| Knoxville, TN | $14.97 | $31,150 | $23,350 | $47,520 | 12,430 | 29.27 | 1.17 |
| Jackson, TN | $14.90 | $30,990 | $22,660 | $47,150 | 2,390 | 28.27 | 1.13 |
| Johnson City, TN | $14.34 | $29,820 | $22,590 | $46,190 | 2,330 | 28.49 | 1.14 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $13.99 | $29,100 | $22,410 | $45,280 | 3,470 | 33.58 | 1.34 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $14.87 | $30,930 | $22,130 | $46,110 | 2,650 | 22.60 | 0.90 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $14.81 | $30,810 | $22,700 | $43,350 | 5,500 | 39.04 | 1.56 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $14.61 | $30,380 | $22,370 | $46,340 | 2,820 | 25.59 | 1.02 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $14.30 | $29,740 | $22,460 | $46,330 | 3,160 | 27.53 | 1.10 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $15.36 | $31,950 | 87,380 | 1.06 |
| Alabama | $14.44 | $30,040 | 60,880 | 1.15 |
| Arkansas | $14.07 | $29,270 | 35,510 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $14.83 | $30,840 | 143,120 | 1.17 |
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $29,650 | 51,250 | 1.02 |
| Missouri | $16.09 | $33,460 | 67,140 | 0.91 |
| Mississippi | $13.77 | $28,640 | 38,400 | 1.32 |
| North Carolina | $15.08 | $31,370 | 127,540 | 1.03 |
| Virginia | $16.46 | $34,240 | 100,290 | 0.97 |
See the national page for Retail Salespersons (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.