Emergency Management Directors Salary
In Knoxville, TN, emergency management directors earn $85,480 at the median, or about $41.1 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $148K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $92,341 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,471/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Knoxville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 emergency management directors
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What this looks like in Knoxville
Emergency management directors pay in Knoxville tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $93K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for emergency management directors in metros near Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $93K | $97K |
| Memphis | $87K | $94K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $104K | $104K |
| Richmond | $93K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level emergency management directors (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $148K or more, a $96K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Management Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Emergency Management Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $184K | +98% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $146K | +56% | 170 |
| Washington | $131K | +40% | 180 |
| California | $130K | +39% | 1,170 |
| Colorado | $130K | +39% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $123K | +32% | 220 |
| New Jersey | $121K | +30% | 490 |
| Connecticut | $113K | +21% | 180 |
| Oregon | $111K | +19% | 120 |
| Maryland | $107K | +15% | 150 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +15% | 190 |
| Nevada | $106K | +13% | 60 |
| Alaska | $102K | +9% | 120 |
| Virginia | $100K | +7% | 450 |
| Idaho | $100K | +7% | 80 |
| Florida | $99K | +6% | 720 |
| Louisiana | $97K | +3% | 180 |
| Ohio | $95K | +1% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $94K | +1% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $94K | +0% | 330 |
| Texas | $94K | +0% | 1,210 |
| New York | $93K | -1% | 790 |
| Nebraska | $90K | -4% | 120 |
| Michigan | $88K | -6% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -6% | 30 |
| Utah | $85K | -9% | 170 |
| Maine | $84K | -10% | 80 |
| Illinois | $84K | -10% | 450 |
| Georgia | $83K | -11% | 430 |
| Arizona | $82K | -12% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -12% | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -13% | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -17% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -17% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -18% | 80 |
| Missouri | $76K | -19% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -20% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -20% | 90 |
| Iowa | $74K | -21% | 130 |
| Kansas | $68K | -27% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -28% | 120 |
| Wyoming | $64K | -31% | 50 |
| Montana | $63K | -33% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -35% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -35% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -46% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -48% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track emergency management directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Knoxville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency management director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for emergency management directors in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency management directors typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,095/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is emergency management director a high-paying job in Knoxville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $93K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for emergency management directors?
Knoxville pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — below the national median.
How much do emergency management directors make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $85,480 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,590, and experienced emergency management directors can clear $147,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,710/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a emergency management directors salary go in Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 emergency management directors salary is worth about $92,341 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency management directors 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.