StateRates

Cleveland salaries

The median worker in the Cleveland, TN metro area earned $39,650 a year in 2024, about $19.06 an hour. That ranks #358 of the 391 metro areas published here, 19.9% below the national median.

Tennessee

Median pay $39,650 $19.06 per hour
Vs national -19.9% U.S. $49,500
Workers 44,770 wage and salary
Metro rank #358 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Cleveland pays 14% less than Tennessee as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Production Workers, All Other 9.97× 800 $36,850
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2.64× 2,280 $37,780
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 2.61× 1,110 $44,700
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 2.37× 560 $43,820
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.64× 990 $49,980
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 1.58× 550 $35,250
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 1.58× 690 $59,610
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.54× 1,690 $25,920
Stockers and Order Fillers 1.24× 1,000 $33,170
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.2× 530 $46,820
Retail Salespersons 1.17× 1,290 $30,140
Cashiers 1.16× 1,060 $25,580

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Cleveland
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Nurse Practitioners $101,160 $48.64 200
General and Operations Managers $89,830 $43.19 770
Managers, All Other $81,580 $39.22 200
Project Management Specialists $80,090 $38.51 210
Registered Nurses $76,230 $36.65 560
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $73,040 $35.11 240
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $72,490 $34.85 200
Accountants and Auditors $67,960 $32.68 210
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $61,190 $29.42 270
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,030 n/a 300
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $60,210 $28.95 470
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $59,610 $28.66 690
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $58,750 n/a 370
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $55,490 $26.68 250
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $53,730 $25.83 240
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $52,470 $25.22 280
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,980 $24.03 990
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $49,600 $23.85 200
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $46,910 $22.55 260
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,820 $22.51 530
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $44,700 $21.49 1,110
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $44,350 $21.32 360
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $43,820 $21.07 560
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $43,050 $20.70 450
Light Truck Drivers $42,380 $20.38 300
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $42,210 $20.30 410
Construction Laborers $40,330 $19.39 300
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $39,160 $18.83 450
Customer Service Representatives $38,850 $18.68 700
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $38,580 $18.55 310
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $37,780 $18.16 2,280
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $37,690 $18.12 440
Medical Assistants $36,870 $17.73 290
Production Workers, All Other $36,850 $17.72 800
Nursing Assistants $35,580 $17.11 310
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $35,250 $16.95 550
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $34,970 $16.81 200
Office Clerks, General $34,920 $16.79 680
Stockers and Order Fillers $33,170 $15.95 1,000
Packers and Packagers, Hand $33,060 $15.90 260
Cooks, Restaurant $32,660 $15.70 350
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $31,700 $15.24 460
Receptionists and Information Clerks $31,200 $15.00 220
Food Batchmakers $30,870 $14.84 240
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $30,720 $14.77 620
Retail Salespersons $30,140 $14.49 1,290
Childcare Workers $27,400 $13.17 200
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $26,250 $12.62 200
Cooks, Fast Food $25,920 $12.46 240
Fast Food and Counter Workers $25,920 $12.46 1,690
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $25,610 $12.31 220
Cashiers $25,580 $12.30 1,060
Food Preparation Workers $25,480 $12.25 320
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $23,610 $11.35 320
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $23,060 n/a 370
Waiters and Waitresses $22,560 $10.85 650

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Cleveland by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2,280 $37,780 $18.16
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,690 $25,920 $12.46
Retail Salespersons 1,290 $30,140 $14.49
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1,110 $44,700 $21.49
Cashiers 1,060 $25,580 $12.30
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,000 $33,170 $15.95
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 990 $49,980 $24.03
Production Workers, All Other 800 $36,850 $17.72
General and Operations Managers 770 $89,830 $43.19
Customer Service Representatives 700 $38,850 $18.68
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 690 $59,610 $28.66
Office Clerks, General 680 $34,920 $16.79
Waiters and Waitresses 650 $22,560 $10.85
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 620 $30,720 $14.77
Registered Nurses 560 $76,230 $36.65
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 560 $43,820 $21.07
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 550 $35,250 $16.95
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 530 $46,820 $22.51
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 470 $60,210 $28.95
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 460 $31,700 $15.24

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Tennessee metro areas

Cleveland pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Cleveland?

The median across all occupations is $39,650, or $19.06 an hour, covering 44,770 wage and salary workers. The mean is $50,530, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Cleveland pay more than the rest of Tennessee?

No. The metro median of $39,650 is 14% below the Tennessee median of $46,120. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Cleveland?

Nurse Practitioners ($101,160), General and Operations Managers ($89,830), Managers, All Other ($81,580). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Cleveland unusually full of?

Production Workers, All Other, at 9.97× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.