Highest-paying jobs in Nashville
The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation's primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you'd expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Nashville. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,660
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 520 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $101,670
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 440 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $102,140
- Median hourly wage: $49.11
- Total employment: 330 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Directors, religious activities and education
- Median annual wage: $102,200
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $102,330
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 4,830 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $102,380
- Median hourly wage: $49.22
- Total employment: 220 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $102,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.37
- Total employment: 720 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $102,700
- Median hourly wage: $49.38
- Total employment: 310 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.51
- Total employment: Not available
#41. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $105,940
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 1,710 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,090
- Median hourly wage: $51.01
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $106,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.13
- Total employment: 760 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $107,600
- Median hourly wage: $51.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $107,670
- Median hourly wage: $51.76
- Total employment: 7,680 people (7.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $107,680
- Median hourly wage: $51.77
- Total employment: 5,030 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $108,760
- Median hourly wage: $52.29
- Total employment: Not available
#34. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $110,890
- Median hourly wage: $53.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $113,240
- Median hourly wage: $54.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $114,100
- Median hourly wage: $54.86
- Total employment: 160 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $115,660
- Median hourly wage: $55.61
- Total employment: 140 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $117,990
- Median hourly wage: $56.72
- Total employment: Not available
#29. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $118,340
- Median hourly wage: $56.89
- Total employment: Not available
#28. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $118,990
- Median hourly wage: $57.21
- Total employment: 21,610 people (20.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $120,160
- Median hourly wage: $57.77
- Total employment: 1,920 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $122,310
- Median hourly wage: $58.80
- Total employment: 3,680 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $122,840
- Median hourly wage: $59.06
- Total employment: 3,860 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $124,750
- Median hourly wage: $59.98
- Total employment: 810 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $130,100
- Median hourly wage: $62.55
- Total employment: 460 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $130,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.79
- Total employment: 3,540 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $131,520
- Median hourly wage: $63.23
- Total employment: 830 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $132,500
- Median hourly wage: $63.70
- Total employment: 3,310 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $132,790
- Median hourly wage: $63.84
- Total employment: 4,150 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $133,300
- Median hourly wage: $64.09
- Total employment: 2,300 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $133,520
- Median hourly wage: $64.19
- Total employment: 8,940 people (8.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $145,530
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $168,650
- Median hourly wage: $81.08
- Total employment: 520 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $170,710
- Median hourly wage: $82.07
- Total employment: 720 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $173,060
- Median hourly wage: $83.20
- Total employment: 2,060 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $174,300
- Median hourly wage: $83.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $174,310
- Median hourly wage: $83.80
- Total employment: 250 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Median annual wage: $178,680
- Median hourly wage: $85.90
- Total employment: Not available
#9. Surgeons, all other
- Median annual wage: $178,770
- Median hourly wage: $85.95
- Total employment: Not available
#8. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $180,470
- Median hourly wage: $86.76
- Total employment: 430 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $181,640
- Median hourly wage: $87.33
- Total employment: 730 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $186,060
- Median hourly wage: $89.45
- Total employment: 210 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $214,980
- Median hourly wage: $103.36
- Total employment: 510 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Dermatologists
- Median annual wage: $220,750
- Median hourly wage: $106.13
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Anesthesiologists
- Median annual wage: $226,470
- Median hourly wage: $108.88
- Total employment: 330 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 1,700 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
