Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Tennessee is $85,890/year ($41.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $95,667 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 21.1% 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 $86K get you in Tennessee?
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for project management specialists in Tennessee runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 21.2% 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 project management specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $92K | +7% | 3,650 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $87K | +2% | 550 |
| Chattanooga | $87K | +2% | 1,750 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $86K | +0% | 7,950 |
| Memphis | $85K | -1% | 2,960 |
| Morristown | $83K | -4% | 180 |
| Jackson | $81K | -5% | 330 |
| Cleveland | $81K | -6% | 130 |
| Clarksville | $80K | -7% | 420 |
| Johnson City | $78K | -9% | 300 |
Compare to other states
Track project management 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 project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 21.2% 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 project management specialists in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,387/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is project management specialist a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $86K here vs. $102K 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 project management specialists?
Tennessee pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Tennessee?
The median is $85,890 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,450, and experienced project management specialists can clear $135,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,734/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 21.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a project management 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 project management specialists salary is worth about $95,667 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do project management 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.