Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Tennessee | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $58,870 | $66,500 | -11% |
| Median hourly wage | $28.30 | $31.97 | -11% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $64,059.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Licensed Practical Nurse in Tennessee is $58,870, or about $28.30 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Licensed Practical Nurses is $66,500. Tennessee is -11% below the national median.
Entry-level licensed practical nurses in Tennessee typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 20,830 licensed practical nurse jobs on record and a median salary of $58,870, Tennessee offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, licensed practical nurses rank 328 of the 730 occupations reported in Tennessee — higher than 55% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Cardiologists at $610,080, Dermatologists at $433,630, Surgeons, All Other at $373,510 — all figures are median annual wages for Tennessee.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 92.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, licensed practical nurses rank 328 of the 730 occupations reported in Tennessee — higher than 55% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Tennessee | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $610,080 | $560 |
| Dermatologists | $433,630 | $100 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $373,510 | $490 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $354,580 | $360 |
| Orthodontists | $339,610 | — |
| Anesthesiologists | $330,620 | $840 |
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 92.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 730 occupations in Tennessee.