Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Tennessee make a median of $81,500 a year, or about $39.18 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $90,777 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 22.3% 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 $82K get you in Tennessee?
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for registered nurses in Tennessee runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 22.2% 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 registered nursess who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses 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 | $84K | +3% | 25,100 |
| Memphis | $82K | +0% | 13,760 |
| Chattanooga | $80K | -2% | 6,460 |
| Clarksville | $79K | -3% | 1,670 |
| Johnson City | $78K | -5% | 2,740 |
| Knoxville | $77K | -5% | 9,500 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $77K | -6% | 2,660 |
| Morristown | $76K | -7% | 710 |
| Jackson | $76K | -7% | 1,930 |
| Cleveland | $73K | -11% | 630 |
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 22.2% 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 registered nurses in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,838/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $82K here vs. $98K 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 registered nurses?
Tennessee pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Tennessee?
The median is $81,500 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,970, and experienced registered nurses can clear $104,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,477/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses 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 registered nurses salary is worth about $90,777 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses 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.