Skip to main content
County Paycheck

Registered Nurses Salary in Tennessee

What Registered Nurses earn in Tennessee, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 26 counties.

Average in TN
$80,478
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
40 of 43
published states
Workers in state
72,810
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
3
26 counties

Pay by labor market in Tennessee

Registered Nurses pay by wage area in Tennessee
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278Davidson County, TN
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$81,500$65,886$44,999Shelby County, TN
Knoxville, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158Knox County, TN

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Registered Nurses in Tennessee counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Hickman County, TN$84,040$67,673$51,646
2Smith County, TN$84,040$67,673$50,566
3Macon County, TN$84,040$67,673$50,110
4Campbell County, TN$77,240$62,889$47,162
5Grainger County, TN$77,240$62,889$47,162
6Morgan County, TN$77,240$62,889$47,162
7Roane County, TN$77,240$62,889$45,950
8Maury County, TN$84,040$67,673$45,118
9Shelby County, TN$81,500$65,886$44,999
10Tipton County, TN$81,500$65,886$44,999
11Fayette County, TN$81,500$65,886$44,999
12Knox County, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158
13Blount County, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158
14Anderson County, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158
15Loudon County, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158
16Union County, TN$77,240$62,889$42,158
17Davidson County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
18Rutherford County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
19Williamson County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
20Sumner County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
21Wilson County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
22Robertson County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
23Dickson County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
24Cheatham County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278
25Cannon County, TN$84,040$67,673$41,278

Showing 25 of 26 counties. Every county page carries the full payslip.

Registered Nurses pay in Tennessee

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Registered Nurses in Tennessee is $80,478, based on 72,810 workers. Among the 43 states with published data, that ranks number 40. The BLS national median for the occupation is $97,550, so Tennessee averages 17.5% below it.

Inside Tennessee, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $84,040 in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area and the lowest is $77,240 in Knoxville, TN, a difference of $6,800 across 3 wage areas.

Cost of living for Registered Nurses in Tennessee

We compare 26 Tennessee counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Hickman County, TN leaves the largest yearly margin, $51,646. Trousdale County, TN leaves the smallest, $41,278. The median wage covers all four basics in 26 of the 26 counties.

Registered Nurses in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Registered Nurses are California ($151,152), Oregon ($126,881), Washington ($123,996) and New Jersey ($113,690).

Frequently asked questions: Registered Nurses in Tennessee

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Tennessee?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $80,478, from $77,240 to $84,040 depending on the labor market.

Which Tennessee county is best for Registered Nurses?

Hickman County, TN leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($51,646). Smith County, TN follows at $50,566.