Credit Counselors Salary
Credit Counselors in Tennessee make a median of $38,730 a year, or about $18.62 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $43,139 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 43.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Tennessee?
About credit counselors
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for credit counselors in Tennessee runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for credit counselorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level credit counselors (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Credit Counselors salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $60K | +55% | 90 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $58K | +51% | 110 |
| Chattanooga | $39K | +0% | N/A |
| Johnson City | $37K | -4% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track credit counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a credit counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for credit counselors in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new credit counselors typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is credit counselor a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $39K here vs. $52K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for credit counselors?
Tennessee pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do credit counselors make in Tennessee?
The median is $38,730 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced credit counselors can clear $105,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,763/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 44% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a credit counselors 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 credit counselors salary is worth about $43,139 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do credit counselors 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.