Electrical Engineers Salary
In Tennessee, electrical engineers earn $104,450 at the median, or about $50.21 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $116,340 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 17.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $104K get you in Tennessee?
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for electrical engineers in Tennessee runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 17.8% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for electrical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $124K | +19% | 440 |
| Memphis | $113K | +8% | 250 |
| Knoxville | $109K | +4% | 630 |
| Cleveland | $104K | -0% | 70 |
| Morristown | $100K | -4% | 30 |
| Jackson | $100K | -4% | 40 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $100K | -4% | 690 |
| Johnson City | $98K | -6% | 60 |
| Clarksville | $98K | -6% | 80 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $96K | -8% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 17.8% 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 electrical engineers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,431/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $104K here vs. $121K 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 electrical engineers?
Tennessee pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Tennessee?
The median is $104,450 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,850, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $166,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,822/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 17.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $116,340 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers 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.