Tennessee · SOC 15-1252
Software Engineer Salary in Tennessee
VerifiedPublished wages for software engineers in Tennessee, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Software Engineers in Tennessee earn a median of $117,340 per year ($117,940 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $95,060–$134,890; the top 10% earn $164,420. That is 12% below the national median of $133,080, ranking Tennessee #29 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$117,340
-12% vs national
Top 10% earn
$164,420
90th percentile
Employed in state
18,750
Reliability High (4.5% RSE)
Software 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 | $72,140 | -10% |
| 25th percentile | $95,060 | -8% |
| Median50th percentile | $117,340 | -12% |
| 75th percentile | $134,890 | -20% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $164,420 | -22% |
| Meanaverage | $117,940 | -18% |
Where software engineers earn most in Tennessee
Metro areas in Tennessee where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 15-1252. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| NashvilleNashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $127,150 | $164,980 | 8,420 |
| MemphisMemphis, TN-MS-AR | $116,470 | $161,200 | 2,500 |
| KingsportKingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $114,540 | $170,530 | 440 |
| KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN | $113,180 | $164,370 | 2,130 |
| ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN-GA | $101,820 | $158,050 | 1,210 |
| MorristownMorristown, TN | $99,950 | $154,510 | 60 |
| ClevelandCleveland, TN | $98,800 | $162,810 | 90 |
| ClarksvilleClarksville, TN-KY | $97,460 | $163,670 | 220 |
| JacksonJackson, TN | $94,350 | $164,080 | 120 |
| Johnson CityJohnson City, TN | $80,890 | $134,260 | 270 |
Tennessee engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.53
Jobs per 1,000
5.73
State rank (pay)
#29 of 51
All engineering roles
$107,574
A location quotient of 0.53 means software 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 15-1252 (Software Developers), Tennessee (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →