Tutors Salary
In Tennessee, tutors earn $50,280 at the median, or about $24.17 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $56,004 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 34.8% 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 tutors
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Tennessee sits well above the national pay line for tutors, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $43K. Rent runs $1,215/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% 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 tutors (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Tutors 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 | $63K | +25% | 1,370 |
| Morristown | $59K | +17% | N/A |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $51K | +2% | 50 |
| Memphis | $50K | -1% | 670 |
| Chattanooga | $46K | -9% | 240 |
| Knoxville | $45K | -11% | 210 |
| Jackson | $37K | -26% | 40 |
| Cleveland | $37K | -26% | 40 |
| Johnson City | $37K | -26% | 60 |
| Clarksville | $35K | -30% | 220 |
Compare to other states
Track tutors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tutor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 34.4% 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 $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tutors in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tutors typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,679/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tutor a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $50K here vs. $43K nationally.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for tutors?
Tennessee pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tutors make in Tennessee?
The median is $50,280 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,980, and experienced tutors can clear $87,880. 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 $3,537/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 34.4% 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 tutors 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 tutors salary is worth about $56,004 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tutors 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.