Emergency Management Directors Salary
In Tennessee, emergency management directors earn $81,800 at the median, or about $39.33 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $91,112 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 22.2% 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 $82K get you in Tennessee?
About emergency management directors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for emergency management directors in Tennessee runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $93K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 22.1% 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 emergency management directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level emergency management directors (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $84K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Management Directors salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $93K | +14% | 120 |
| Memphis | $87K | +6% | 70 |
| Knoxville | $85K | +4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track emergency management directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency management director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 22.1% 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 emergency management directors in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency management directors typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,347/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $82K here vs. $93K 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 emergency management directors?
Tennessee pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $93K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do emergency management directors make in Tennessee?
The median is $81,800 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,780, and experienced emergency management directors can clear $139,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,494/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 22.1% 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 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 emergency management directors salary is worth about $91,112 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.