Health Education Specialists Salary
In Tennessee, health education specialists earn $49,630 at the median, or about $23.86 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $55,280 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 34% 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 $50K get you in Tennessee?
About health education specialists
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for health education specialists in Tennessee runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $64K. Rent runs $1,215/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 health education specialists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Health Education Specialists salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $64K | +30% | 80 |
| Memphis | $50K | +0% | 110 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | -3% | 190 |
| Chattanooga | $47K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track health education specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a health education specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 34.8% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for health education specialists in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new health education specialists typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,348/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is health education specialist a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $50K here vs. $64K 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 health education specialists?
Tennessee pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $64K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do health education specialists make in Tennessee?
The median is $49,630 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,130, and experienced health education specialists can clear $110,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,493/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 34.8% 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 health education specialists 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 health education specialists salary is worth about $55,280 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do health education specialists 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.