SOC 11-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chief Executives — Tennessee
Tennessee · 10 metro areas compared
At $198,830, median pay for Chief Executives in Tennessee tracks the national median of $213,990 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.3%
- Openings per year
- 22,200
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
25.9% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Tennessee.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $198,830, median pay for Chief Executives in Tennessee tracks the national median of $213,990 closely. Pay ranges from under $64,520 at the tenth percentile to more than $474,740 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $113,110 to $307,390.
The area has 4,700 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.09 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Tennessee ranks number 24th out of 46 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Nashville records the highest median at $218,190. Of the 730 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 18th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,520 | −69.8% |
| 25th | $113,110 | −47.1% |
| Median (50th) | $198,830 | −7.1% |
| 75th | $307,390 | +43.6% |
| 90th | $474,740 | +121.9% |
| Mean | $239,970 | +12.1% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Tennessee
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville | $218,190 | 1,730 | |
| 2 | Chattanooga | $209,990 | 440 | |
| 3 | Jackson | $201,090 | 90 | |
| 4 | Knoxville | $198,890 | 510 | |
| 5 | Memphis | $196,680 | 680 | |
| 6 | Johnson City | $195,450 | 100 | |
| 7 | Kingsport | $189,410 | 100 | |
| 8 | Clarksville | $172,410 | 120 | |
| 9 | Morristown | $166,650 | 50 | |
| 10 | Cleveland | $140,930 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Tennessee run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $198,830 goes as far as $216,355 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 1.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$198,830as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$216,355US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $198,830 a year, 7.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $64,520 to $474,740 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 4,700 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 24th of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Nashville, at $218,190.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chief Executives in Tennessee?
The median annual wage is $198,830, or $95.59 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $213,990, so pay in Tennessee is 7.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Tennessee earns more than $474,740 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $64,520 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Nashville, at $218,190 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 4,700 jobs in this occupation in Tennessee. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data