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Physician Salary in Tennessee: Is It a Good Career?

Tennessee · 2026 BLS salary data

a Physician pay in Tennessee

The median wage is $226,830/yr — 7% below the national median. Among U.S. states, Tennesseeranks #41 of 51 states by median pay.

The numbers in Tennessee

Real BLS state-level figures for Physician.

Median salary
$226,830/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$166,350 – $441,770
National median
$244,180/yr
Employed in Tennessee
2,260

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in Tennessee

Salary alone can mislead — Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
91.9
Nominal median
$226,830
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $246,823
State income tax
None

Because Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #35 of 51 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #41 on raw salary.

Tennessee levies no state income tax, so more of that pay stays in your pocket than in high-tax states.

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.

FAQ

How much do physician professionals make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage is $226,830 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $166,350 and $441,770. That's 7% below the national median.

Is Tennessee a good state for physician?

By raw pay, Tennessee ranks #41 of 51 states by median pay. Adjusted for cost of living (Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $246,823. Because Tennessee costs 8% less than the U.S. average, its pay stretches further — it ranks #35 of 51 once adjusted for cost of living, up from #41 on raw salary. And with no state income tax, more of that pay stays in your pocket.

Are physician professionals in demand in Tennessee?

About 2,260 people work in this field in Tennessee (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects +2.7% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Physician nationally — Tennessee pay is 7% below the national median. See the full a Physician career guide →

The verdict

Yes if medicine is your calling — physicians earn among the highest incomes with exceptional job security and meaning, and the debt is manageable against that pay. But the decade-plus of training, heavy debt, and burnout risk make it a poor choice for anyone not truly driven.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Among the highest career earnings
  • Exceptional job security and demand
  • Deeply meaningful, respected work
  • Debt manageable against physician pay
  • Many specialties and settings

Cons

  • A decade-plus of training (school + residency)
  • Very high debt during low-pay resident years
  • Long hours and high burnout risk
  • Enormous opportunity cost
  • Administrative and insurance burden

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • People truly called to medicine
  • Those who can handle long training and debt
  • Anyone drawn to high-responsibility clinical work

✗ Probably not if…

  • People chasing money without the calling
  • Those unwilling to delay earnings a decade

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Physician is worth it — titles link to the original threads.