SalaryExplorer

SOC 47-4051 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Highway Maintenance WorkersKnoxville

Knoxville, TN · 9 metro areas compared

$44,110 /year
$21.21per hour
330jobs in area
12.2%vs US median

In Knoxville, TN the median wage is $44,110.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $50,26010TH$38,040MEDIAN$44,11090TH$57,270

Salary overview

In Knoxville, TN the median wage is $44,110. That is 12.2% lower than the national median of $50,260. Pay ranges from under $38,040 at the tenth percentile to more than $57,270 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $39,030 to $56,220.

Employment stands at 330, or 0.8 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Nashville records the highest median at $49,110. Of the 536 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 374th.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Knoxville, TN · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$38,040−24.3%
25th$39,030−22.3%
Median (50th)$44,110−12.2%
75th$56,220+11.9%
90th$57,270+13.9%
Mean$45,450−9.6%

Other metro areas in Tennessee

Median annual wage for Highway Maintenance Workers, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Nashville$49,110410
2Kingsport$48,310140
3Morristown$45,80040
4Jackson$45,780160
5Johnson City$45,78080
6Cleveland$44,46080
7Clarksville$43,010140
8Chattanooga$39,840160
9Memphis$37,710370

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Knoxville run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $44,110 goes as far as $47,998 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 4.5% below the national median in real terms.

Published median

$44,110as reported by BLS

Local price level

91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$47,998US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $44,110 a year, 12.2% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $38,040 to $57,270 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 330 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Nashville, at $49,110.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Highway Maintenance Workers in Knoxville, TN?

The median annual wage is $44,110, or $21.21 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 $50,260, so pay in Knoxville, TN is 12.2% 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 Knoxville, TN earns more than $57,270 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $38,040 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 $49,110 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 330 jobs in this occupation in Knoxville, TN. 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.

Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in Knoxville, TN (2025): $44,110 Median | Salary Explorer