Tennessee · SOC 17-2051
Civil Engineer Salary in Tennessee
VerifiedPublished wages for civil engineers in Tennessee, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Civil Engineers in Tennessee earn a median of $97,730 per year ($102,150 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $79,110–$120,010; the top 10% earn $141,710. That is 2% below the national median of $99,590, ranking Tennessee #24 of 50 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$97,730
-2% vs national
Top 10% earn
$141,710
90th percentile
Employed in state
4,660
Reliability Good (7.9% RSE)
Civil Engineer pay distribution — Tennessee vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $67,410 | +2% |
| 25th percentile | $79,110 | — |
| Median50th percentile | $97,730 | -2% |
| 75th percentile | $120,010 | -6% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $141,710 | -12% |
| Meanaverage | $102,150 | -5% |
Where civil engineers earn most in Tennessee
Metro areas in Tennessee where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2051. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN | $99,810 | $137,970 | 820 |
| NashvilleNashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $99,780 | $144,220 | 1,620 |
| MemphisMemphis, TN-MS-AR | $98,590 | $130,980 | 740 |
| ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN-GA | $97,440 | $154,850 | 460 |
| ClarksvilleClarksville, TN-KY | $97,170 | $137,580 | 90 |
| JacksonJackson, TN | $93,070 | $134,980 | 90 |
| Johnson CityJohnson City, TN | $91,340 | $149,650 | 50 |
| KingsportKingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $87,630 | $124,990 | 190 |
| ClevelandCleveland, TN | $81,870 | $128,290 | 60 |
| MorristownMorristown, TN | $78,880 | $119,930 | 40 |
Tennessee engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.62
Jobs per 1,000
1.42
State rank (pay)
#24 of 50
All engineering roles
$107,574
A location quotient of 0.62 means civil engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), Tennessee (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →