Highest-paying jobs in Knoxville
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 Knoxville. 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. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $97,920
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,120
- Median hourly wage: $47.17
- Total employment: 900 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $98,270
- Median hourly wage: $47.25
- Total employment: 180 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $98,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $98,900
- Median hourly wage: $47.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $99,010
- Median hourly wage: $47.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $99,380
- Median hourly wage: $47.78
- Total employment: 1,830 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,820
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 490 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $100,170
- Median hourly wage: $48.16
- Total employment: 190 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,520
- Median hourly wage: $48.33
- Total employment: 910 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $100,600
- Median hourly wage: $48.37
- Total employment: 2,300 people (5.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,730
- Median hourly wage: $48.43
- Total employment: 420 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 210 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,330
- Median hourly wage: $48.72
- Total employment: 160 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $101,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.74
- Total employment: 110 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $101,430
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 150 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $101,700
- Median hourly wage: $48.89
- Total employment: 500 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $102,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $102,330
- Median hourly wage: $49.20
- Total employment: 630 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $102,490
- Median hourly wage: $49.28
- Total employment: 470 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $103,620
- Median hourly wage: $49.82
- Total employment: 370 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $103,710
- Median hourly wage: $49.86
- Total employment: 300 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $104,850
- Median hourly wage: $50.41
- Total employment: 490 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $104,870
- Median hourly wage: $50.42
- Total employment: 7,430 people (18.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $106,810
- Median hourly wage: $51.35
- Total employment: Not available
#24. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $117,440
- Median hourly wage: $56.46
- Total employment: 1,240 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $121,770
- Median hourly wage: $58.54
- Total employment: 190 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $121,950
- Median hourly wage: $58.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,680
- Median hourly wage: $58.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $124,050
- Median hourly wage: $59.64
- Total employment: 910 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $124,810
- Median hourly wage: $60.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $124,910
- Median hourly wage: $60.05
- Total employment: 1,960 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $125,240
- Median hourly wage: $60.21
- Total employment: 1,120 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,450
- Median hourly wage: $60.31
- Total employment: 380 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $128,020
- Median hourly wage: $61.55
- Total employment: 1,020 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $128,640
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 220 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $129,700
- Median hourly wage: $62.36
- Total employment: 1,070 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Physics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $131,120
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $131,660
- Median hourly wage: $63.30
- Total employment: 220 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Economics teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $132,060
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $136,380
- Median hourly wage: $65.57
- Total employment: 580 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $149,280
- Median hourly wage: $71.77
- Total employment: 520 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $170,370
- Median hourly wage: $81.91
- Total employment: 300 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $179,040
- Median hourly wage: $86.08
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $179,320
- Median hourly wage: $86.21
- Total employment: 230 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 200 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: Not available
#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 520 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
