The median annual wage in Tennessee in 2018 for the nearly 3 million employed Tennesseans was $34,895. Among the 22 major occupational groups in Tennessee, the biggest five all paid below the statewide average:
1. Office and administrative support, 468,630 workers with median annual pay of $33,010
2. Sales and related occupations, 287,500 workers with median annual pay of $25,625
3. Food preparation and related jobs, 277,940 workers with median annual pay of $19,496
4. Transportation & material handling, 277,290 workers with median annual pay of $31,169
5. Production occupations, 265,850 workers with median annual pay of $33,426
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, “Tennessee’s Largest Occupations and the Salaries They Earn, ” based upon 2018 data. Computer and math jobs were the highest paying occupation group with median pay of $71,082. Food preparation was the lowest paying occupational category.