Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Knoxville, TN make a median of $84,510 a year, or about $40.63 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $91,293 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,471/month, or 26% 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 financial examiners
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What this looks like in Knoxville
Financial examiners pay in Knoxville tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% 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 financial examiners in metros near Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $84K | $87K |
| Memphis | $102K | $111K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $105K | $108K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $78K | $78K |
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 financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial Examiners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $199K | +111% | 470 |
| New York | $129K | +37% | 13,480 |
| Connecticut | $121K | +28% | N/A |
| Washington | $114K | +21% | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +18% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $106K | +13% | 2,190 |
| California | $106K | +13% | 4,200 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Virginia | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Maryland | $103K | +9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $101K | +7% | 2,610 |
| Colorado | $100K | +6% | 1,910 |
| Oregon | $95K | +0% | 820 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | -0% | 320 |
| Illinois | $93K | -1% | 4,050 |
| Delaware | $92K | -2% | 430 |
| Utah | $92K | -2% | 960 |
| Alaska | $91K | -4% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -6% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $87K | -7% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -8% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $86K | -8% | 580 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -9% | 420 |
| Idaho | $85K | -9% | 210 |
| Nevada | $85K | -10% | 180 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -10% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -12% | 220 |
| Indiana | $81K | -14% | 420 |
| Montana | $81K | -14% | 140 |
| Maine | $81K | -14% | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -14% | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -14% | 400 |
| Kansas | $80K | -15% | 470 |
| Iowa | $80K | -15% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $80K | -15% | 1,910 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 2,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | -17% | 2,590 |
| Texas | $78K | -17% | 5,230 |
| Georgia | $78K | -17% | 1,450 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 640 |
| Florida | $76K | -19% | 4,190 |
| Vermont | $75K | -21% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -21% | 840 |
| Michigan | $71K | -25% | 710 |
| Ohio | $69K | -27% | 3,680 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -28% | 220 |
| Hawaii | $63K | -33% | 270 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -36% | 240 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -39% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Knoxville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 26% 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 financial examiners in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,900/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial examiner a high-paying job in Knoxville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for financial examiners?
Knoxville pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $84,510 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,330, and experienced financial examiners can clear $159,040. 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 $5,653/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 26% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial examiners 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 financial examiners salary is worth about $91,293 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial examiners 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.