Customer Service Representatives Salary
Customer Service Representatives in Tennessee make a median of $42,830 a year, or about $20.59 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $47,706 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 39.4% 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 $43K get you in Tennessee?
About customer service representatives
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Customer service representatives pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 40% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level customer service representatives (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Customer Service Representatives 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 | $46K | +6% | 20,770 |
| Chattanooga | $45K | +5% | 5,120 |
| Memphis | $44K | +3% | 9,360 |
| Knoxville | $39K | -9% | 6,640 |
| Jackson | $39K | -10% | 970 |
| Clarksville | $38K | -12% | 1,610 |
| Cleveland | $38K | -12% | 590 |
| Morristown | $38K | -12% | 740 |
| Johnson City | $37K | -15% | 1,940 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $36K | -16% | 2,130 |
Compare to other states
Track customer service representatives salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a customer service representatif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 40% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for customer service representatives in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new customer service representatives typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,866/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 customer service representatif a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for customer service representatives?
Tennessee pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do customer service representatives make in Tennessee?
The median is $42,830 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,100, and experienced customer service representatives can clear $60,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,038/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 40% 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 customer service representatives 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 customer service representatives salary is worth about $47,706 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do customer service representatives 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.