Nurse practitioner salary in Tennessee
Tennessee nurse practitioners earn a median of $117,590 a year ($56.54 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 11% below the national median of $132,300, and ranks 50th of 51 states.
Median, Tennessee
$117,590
Mean $115,510
Middle half earns
$102,640 to $130,330
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in Tennessee
12,150
1.78x the national concentration
Where Tennessee sits in the range
Tennessee
Statewide
United States
National
Nashville
Metro area
Memphis
Metro area
Knoxville
Metro area
Chattanooga
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of Tennessee nurse practitioners earned less than $82,790 and ten percent earned more than $137,880, a spread of $55,090. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Tennessee | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $82,790 | $101,340 | -18.3% |
| 25th | $102,640 | $117,990 | -13.0% |
| Median | $117,590 | $132,300 | -11.1% |
| 75th | $130,330 | $156,700 | -16.8% |
| 90th | $137,880 | $174,420 | -20.9% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 10 metro areas that include part of Tennessee. Memphis, TN-MS-AR has the highest median at $124,600. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 4,540 | $122,320 | $105,230 to $134,570 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,800 | $124,600 | $106,670 to $134,300 |
| Knoxville, TN | 1,630 | $109,740 | $101,220 to $128,620 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 1,000 | $116,480 | $103,170 to $127,650 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 480 | $118,470 | $101,450 to $128,010 |
| Jackson, TN | 410 | $108,260 | $92,200 to $124,200 |
| Johnson City, TN | 380 | $102,430 | $100,060 to $123,000 |
| Clarksville, TN-KYmoderate precision | 300 | $115,160 | $98,600 to $127,920 |
| Cleveland, TNmoderate precision | 170 | $107,360 | $100,810 to $128,020 |
| Morristown, TNmoderate precision | 120 | $105,560 | $95,450 to $126,250 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in Tennessee
| Occupation | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $117,590 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $118,240 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $211,450 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $81,500 | $97,550 |
The Tennessee NP workforce
BLS counts 12,150 nurse practitioners on Tennessee payrolls, or 3.71 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, more concentrated than in the country as a whole. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 14,838 nurse practitioners with a Tennessee practice address, and 635 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $102,640, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Tennessee nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $130,330, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in Tennessee
How much does a NP make in Tennessee?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in Tennessee was $117,590 in May 2025, and the mean was $115,510, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $102,640 and $130,330.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in Tennessee?
The median hourly wage was $56.54 and the mean was $55.53. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in Tennessee?
Among Tennessee metro areas with published data, Memphis, TN-MS-AR had the highest median at $124,600, and Johnson City, TN the lowest at $102,430.
How does Tennessee rank for NP pay?
Tennessee ranks 50th of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, 11% below the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in Tennessee?
BLS estimated 12,150 nurse practitioners employed in Tennessee in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 14,838 with a Tennessee practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.