Salary · TN · SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) salary in Tennessee, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for registered nurses in Tennessee, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for registered nurses in Tennessee was $81,500 a year, or $39.18 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $63,970 to $104,920. About 72,200 were employed.

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Registered Nurse pay in Tennessee vs the US

Registered Nurse wages in Tennessee and the US, May 2025
Measure	TN annual	TN hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$81,500	$39.18	$97,550
Mean (average)	$85,390	$41.05	$101,420
10th percentile	$63,970	$30.76	$68,940
25th percentile	$75,460	$36.28	$80,330
75th percentile	$95,250	$45.79	$112,350
90th percentile	$104,920	$50.44	$137,470

Employment in Tennessee: 72,200. Location quotient: 1.01 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Registered Nurse salary by metro area in Tennessee

Registered Nurse median wage by metro area, Tennessee
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$84,040	$40.40	25,100
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$81,500	$39.18	13,760
Knoxville, TN	$77,240	$37.13	9,500
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$79,770	$38.35	6,460
Johnson City, TN	$77,660	$37.34	2,740
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	$76,730	$36.89	2,660
Jackson, TN	$75,610	$36.35	1,930
Clarksville, TN-KY	$79,450	$38.20	1,670
Morristown, TN	$75,680	$36.38	710
Cleveland, TN	$72,800	$35.00	630

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Registered Nurse salary in Tennessee

Median pay: $81,500 a year ($39.18 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $63,970 to $104,920 a year

Employed: 72,200

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Registered Nurse salary in Tennessee</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$81,500</strong> a year ($39.18 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $63,970 to $104,920 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 72,200</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/registered-nurse/tn" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does an RN make per hour in Tennessee?

The median hourly wage was $39.18 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $30.76 and the 90th was $50.44.

What is the average RN salary in Tennessee?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $85,390 a year and a median of $81,500 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do registered nurses in Tennessee earn more than the US median?

The Tennessee median of $81,500 is 16% lower than the US median of $97,550 (BLS, May 2025).

How does Tennessee rank for registered nurse pay?

Tennessee ranks 41 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for registered nurses (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-1141. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.