Physics Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a physics teachers, postsecondary in Tennessee is $80,630/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $89,808 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 22.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $81K actually covers in Tennessee, month by month
About physics teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for physics teachers, postsecondary in Tennessee runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $100K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 22.4% 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 physics teachers, postsecondary who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level physics teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $100K spread from bottom to top.
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $99K | +23% | 80 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $87K | +8% | 100 |
| Memphis | $81K | +0% | 30 |
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Track physics teachers, postsecondary salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physics teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 22.4% 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 physics teachers, postsecondaries in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physics teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,026/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physics teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $81K here vs. $100K 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 physics teachers, postsecondaries?
Tennessee pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do physics teachers, postsecondaries make in Tennessee?
The median is $80,630 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,590, and experienced physics teachers, postsecondaries can clear $157,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,426/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physics teachers, postsecondary 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 physics teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $89,808 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physics teachers, postsecondaries 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.