Chief Executives Salary
Chief Executives in Tennessee make a median of $198,830 a year, or about $95.59 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $475K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $221,464 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 9.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $199K actually covers in Tennessee, month by month
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Chief executives pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $199K locally vs. $214K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 9.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level chief executives (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $199K. Top earners bring in $475K or more, a $410K spread from bottom to top.
Chief Executives salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $218K | +10% | 1,730 |
| Chattanooga | $210K | +6% | 440 |
| Jackson | $201K | +1% | 90 |
| Knoxville | $199K | +0% | 510 |
| Memphis | $197K | -1% | 680 |
| Johnson City | $195K | -2% | 100 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $189K | -5% | 100 |
| Clarksville | $172K | -13% | 120 |
| Morristown | $167K | -16% | 50 |
| Cleveland | $141K | -29% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chief executif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $199K, rent takes 9.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chief executives in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chief executives typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,481/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chief executif a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $199K locally vs. $214K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for chief executives?
Tennessee pays $199K median vs. the U.S. average of $214K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $221K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chief executives make in Tennessee?
The median is $198,830 a year, that works out to about $96 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,520, and experienced chief executives can clear $474,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $199K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,339/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 9.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chief executives salary go in Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chief executives salary is worth about $221,464 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chief executives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.