Tennessee · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Tennessee
VerifiedPublished wages for mechanical engineers in Tennessee, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Mechanical Engineers in Tennessee earn a median of $99,330 per year ($101,260 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $77,340–$126,400; the top 10% earn $142,230. That is 3% below the national median of $102,320, ranking Tennessee #30 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$99,330
-3% vs national
Top 10% earn
$142,230
90th percentile
Employed in state
3,680
Reliability Good (7.4% RSE)
Mechanical 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 | $47,000 | -32% |
| 25th percentile | $77,340 | -5% |
| Median50th percentile | $99,330 | -3% |
| 75th percentile | $126,400 | -3% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $142,230 | -12% |
| Meanaverage | $101,260 | -8% |
Where mechanical engineers earn most in Tennessee
Metro areas in Tennessee where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2141. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClarksvilleClarksville, TN-KY | $108,470 | $141,090 | 150 |
| ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN-GA | $103,670 | $150,320 | 460 |
| NashvilleNashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $101,600 | $138,980 | 1,200 |
| MemphisMemphis, TN-MS-AR | $101,100 | $134,060 | 350 |
| KingsportKingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,820 | $141,920 | 220 |
| KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN | $95,710 | $157,340 | 570 |
| JacksonJackson, TN | $95,210 | $140,650 | 50 |
| Johnson CityJohnson City, TN | $92,130 | $123,670 | 30 |
| MorristownMorristown, TN | $78,270 | $125,480 | 70 |
Tennessee engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.60
Jobs per 1,000
1.12
State rank (pay)
#30 of 51
All engineering roles
$107,574
A location quotient of 0.60 means mechanical 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 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), Tennessee (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →