SOC 27-4099 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other — Tennessee
Tennessee · 1 metro areas compared
At $42,370, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other, 40.1% beneath the national figure of $70,720.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +0.6%
- Openings per year
- 1,100
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
8.5% 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 $42,370, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other, 40.1% beneath the national figure of $70,720. Pay ranges from under $32,980 at the tenth percentile to more than $112,480 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $39,260 to $76,400.
Employment stands at 100, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Tennessee ranks number 32nd out of 33 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Nashville records the highest median at $51,970. Of the 730 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 554th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,980 | −53.4% |
| 25th | $39,260 | −44.5% |
| Median (50th) | $42,370 | −40.1% |
| 75th | $76,400 | +8.0% |
| 90th | $112,480 | +59.0% |
| Mean | $60,860 | −13.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Tennessee
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville | $51,970 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Tennessee run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $42,370 goes as far as $46,104 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 34.8% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$42,370as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$46,104US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $42,370 a year, 40.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,980 to $112,480 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 32nd of 33 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Nashville, at $51,970.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other in Tennessee?
The median annual wage is $42,370, or $20.37 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 $70,720, so pay in Tennessee is 40.1% 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 $112,480 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,980 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 $51,970 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 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.
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