StateRates

Jackson salaries

The median worker in the Jackson, TN metro area earned $43,170 a year in 2024, about $20.76 an hour. That ranks #310 of the 391 metro areas published here, 12.8% below the national median.

Tennessee

Median pay $43,170 $20.76 per hour
Vs national -12.8% U.S. $49,500
Workers 84,400 wage and salary
Metro rank #310 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Jackson pays 6.4% 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 8.24× 1,250 $37,660
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 2.86× 660 $44,350
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 2.61× 910 $49,030
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 2.27× 1,030 $37,050
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 2.15× 530 $32,010
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 2.08× 780 $66,010
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers 2.05× 660 $44,300
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1.98× 1,580 $40,580
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.61× 1,820 $50,790
Cooks, Fast Food 1.6× 580 $27,250
Food Preparation Workers 1.56× 760 $25,950
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks 1.41× 660 $44,030

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Jackson
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Pharmacists $134,920 $64.87 210
Financial Managers $118,320 $56.88 330
Sales Managers $113,170 $54.41 220
Nurse Practitioners $107,870 $51.86 420
Industrial Production Managers $101,190 $48.65 200
Medical and Health Services Managers $95,470 $45.90 300
General and Operations Managers $89,850 $43.20 1,330
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $86,860 n/a 200
Project Management Specialists $79,210 $38.08 340
Managers, All Other $79,100 $38.03 390
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $72,010 $34.62 380
Registered Nurses $71,640 $34.44 1,950
Accountants and Auditors $68,610 $32.99 490
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $67,510 $32.46 410
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $67,400 $32.40 230
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $66,010 $31.74 780
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $63,150 $30.36 450
Postal Service Mail Carriers $60,070 $28.88 200
Human Resources Specialists $59,400 $28.56 380
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $59,380 $28.55 1,090
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $58,500 n/a 520
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $58,430 $28.09 220
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $58,380 $28.07 550
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $57,460 $27.63 300
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $57,130 $27.46 270
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $57,120 $27.46 320
Electricians $56,020 $26.93 520
Healthcare Social Workers $55,220 $26.55 280
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists $54,550 $26.23 210
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $54,340 $26.13 320
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $53,980 $25.95 230
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $53,400 $25.67 380
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks $51,410 $24.72 280
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $51,290 $24.66 320
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,790 $24.42 1,820
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $50,070 n/a 460
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $49,390 n/a 860
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $49,030 $23.57 910
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $47,470 $22.82 270
Machinists $46,510 $22.36 240
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $46,380 $22.30 520
Correctional Officers and Jailers $46,310 $22.27 250
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $45,980 $22.11 1,070
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $45,910 $22.07 360
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $45,400 $21.83 380
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $44,350 $21.32 660
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $44,300 $21.30 660
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $44,090 $21.20 870
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $44,030 $21.17 660
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers $43,540 $20.93 200
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $43,100 $20.72 670
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $40,870 $19.65 380
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $40,580 $19.51 1,580
Bus Drivers, School $40,470 $19.46 310
Light Truck Drivers $40,190 $19.32 720
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $39,570 $19.02 890
Construction Laborers $38,890 $18.70 670
Billing and Posting Clerks $38,580 $18.55 290
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $38,520 $18.52 490
Driver/Sales Workers $38,460 $18.49 200

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Jackson by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 2,270 $29,920 $14.38
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2,230 $35,940 $17.28
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,200 $26,640 $12.81
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 2,160 $29,570 $14.21
Registered Nurses 1,950 $71,640 $34.44
Cashiers 1,930 $26,930 $12.95
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,820 $50,790 $24.42
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,640 $33,010 $15.87
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1,580 $40,580 $19.51
Office Clerks, General 1,350 $36,700 $17.65
General and Operations Managers 1,330 $89,850 $43.20
Customer Service Representatives 1,260 $37,880 $18.21
Production Workers, All Other 1,250 $37,660 $18.11
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 1,090 $59,380 $28.55
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1,070 $45,980 $22.11
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 1,030 $37,050 $17.81
Nursing Assistants 940 $34,930 $16.79
Waiters and Waitresses 930 $22,280 $10.71
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 910 $49,030 $23.57
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 890 $39,570 $19.02

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

Jackson pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Jackson?

The median across all occupations is $43,170, or $20.76 an hour, covering 84,400 wage and salary workers. The mean is $51,880, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Jackson pay more than the rest of Tennessee?

No. The metro median of $43,170 is 6.4% 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 Jackson?

Pharmacists ($134,920), Financial Managers ($118,320), Sales Managers ($113,170). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Jackson unusually full of?

Production Workers, All Other, at 8.24× 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.