Economists Salary
In Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, economists earn $116,990 at the median, or about $56.25 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $121,435 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,730/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $117K actually covers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About economists
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What this looks like in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Economists pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin tracks closely to the national median, $117K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,730/month, 22.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for economists in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $123K | $122K |
| Kansas City | $129K | $139K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $152K | $156K |
| Richmond | $112K | $115K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level economists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $85K spread from bottom to top.
Economists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Economists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $168K | +34% | 3,000 |
| New Jersey | $168K | +34% | 280 |
| Delaware | $159K | +28% | 70 |
| Maryland | $145K | +16% | 1,130 |
| Kansas | $139K | +11% | 80 |
| Virginia | $138K | +10% | 950 |
| New York | $137K | +10% | 910 |
| North Carolina | $136K | +9% | 290 |
| Idaho | $131K | +5% | 130 |
| Alabama | $130K | +4% | 40 |
| Georgia | $123K | -2% | 260 |
| Oregon | $122K | -2% | 320 |
| Texas | $121K | -3% | 560 |
| Colorado | $121K | -3% | 240 |
| Ohio | $120K | -4% | 140 |
| California | $119K | -4% | 860 |
| Tennessee | $118K | -6% | 80 |
| Missouri | $117K | -6% | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $115K | -8% | 560 |
| Alaska | $111K | -11% | 80 |
| Washington | $109K | -12% | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | -15% | 1,030 |
| Michigan | $106K | -15% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $105K | -16% | 500 |
| Florida | $102K | -18% | 500 |
| Connecticut | $101K | -19% | 210 |
| Iowa | $96K | -23% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $92K | -27% | 50 |
| Maine | $91K | -27% | 70 |
| Nevada | $91K | -27% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $90K | -28% | 80 |
| Montana | $89K | -28% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $86K | -31% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | -33% | 280 |
| Hawaii | $83K | -33% | 50 |
| Indiana | $81K | -35% | 80 |
| Arizona | $80K | -36% | 340 |
| Nebraska | $76K | -39% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $73K | -41% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $71K | -43% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 40 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track economists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a economist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 22.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for economists in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new economists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,071/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is economist a high-paying job in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $117K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for economists?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — below the national median.
How much do economists make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $116,990 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,570, and experienced economists can clear $159,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,557/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 22.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a economists salary go in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 economists salary is worth about $121,435 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do economists 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.