First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in Tennessee make a median of $40,500 a year, or about $19.47 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $45,110 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 41.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Tennessee?
About first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 42.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | +13% | 8,950 |
| Knoxville | $41K | +2% | 4,150 |
| Memphis | $40K | -2% | 5,350 |
| Chattanooga | $39K | -3% | 2,520 |
| Clarksville | $38K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $37K | -8% | 1,140 |
| Johnson City | $37K | -9% | 980 |
| Jackson | $37K | -9% | 740 |
| Cleveland | $37K | -10% | 500 |
| Morristown | $36K | -10% | 440 |
Compare to other states
Track first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 42.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,770/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving worker a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers?
Tennessee pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers make in Tennessee?
The median is $40,500 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,500, and experienced first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers can clear $63,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,882/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 42.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers 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 first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers salary is worth about $45,110 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers 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.