Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Tennessee make a median of $87,110 a year, or about $41.88 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $97,026 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 20.8% 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 $87K get you in Tennessee?
About financial examiners
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Financial examiners pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $87K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 20.9% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $110K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $102K | +18% | 90 |
| Knoxville | $85K | -3% | 100 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $84K | -3% | 220 |
Compare to other states
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 20.9% 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 financial examiners in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,070/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $87K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for financial examiners?
Tennessee pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Tennessee?
The median is $87,110 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,170, and experienced financial examiners can clear $160,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,806/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 20.9% 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 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 financial examiners salary is worth about $97,026 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.