Top Paying Jobs in Knoxville, TN (2026)
Knoxville, TN has 480 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Nurse Anesthetists ($210,580), Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates ($197,740), Chief Executives ($188,480). The cost of living index is 92.57 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,471/month.
$148K
Avg. median salary
92.57
Cost of living index
$1,471
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Knoxville
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse Anesthetists | Healthcare | $211K | $101.24/hr |
| 2 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | Legal | $198K | $95.07/hr |
| 3 | Chief Executives | Management | $188K | $90.61/hr |
| 4 | Nuclear Engineers | Engineering | $174K | $83.84/hr |
| 5 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $171K | $/hr |
| 6 | Commercial Pilots | Transportation | $168K | $/hr |
| 7 | Sales Engineers | Sales | $163K | $78.49/hr |
| 8 | Pediatricians, General | Healthcare | $159K | $76.53/hr |
| 9 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $145K | $69.81/hr |
| 10 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $142K | $68.33/hr |
| 11 | Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $140K | $/hr |
| 12 | Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $139K | $/hr |
| 13 | Natural Sciences Managers | Management | $138K | $66.46/hr |
| 14 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | Education | $137K | $/hr |
| 15 | Marketing Managers | Management | $136K | $65.55/hr |
| 16 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $133K | $63.76/hr |
| 17 | Financial Managers | Management | $132K | $63.43/hr |
| 18 | Sales Managers | Management | $130K | $62.65/hr |
| 19 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $129K | $61.98/hr |
| 20 | Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | Engineering | $128K | $61.76/hr |
| 21 | Purchasing Managers | Management | $128K | $61.75/hr |
| 22 | Veterinarians | Healthcare | $128K | $61.39/hr |
| 23 | Physical Scientists, All Other | Science | $127K | $61/hr |
| 24 | Physicists | Science | $127K | $60.91/hr |
| 25 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $126K | $60.35/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Knoxville
Cost of living vs. national average-7.4% less expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,471/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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After federal and state taxes