What the numbers say
Tennessee's median Data Scientist wage was $104,700 in 2024, about 9.5% below the national median of $115,636. That gap is real, but cost of living narrows it considerably. Tennessee's overall price level runs roughly 7.5% below the national baseline, which means the in-state median stretches closer to $113,200 in national-baseline dollars. The effective gap shrinks to around 2%.
The spread across earners is wide. A Data Scientist at the 10th percentile earned $61,960, while one at the 90th earned $190,000. Top earners make about three times what those at the bottom of the range do. That kind of range usually reflects a mix of seniority, sub-specialty, and the industry doing the hiring. Healthcare, finance, and logistics each concentrate in Tennessee and pay differently for the same job title.
The average wage of $114,830 sits well above the median. A smaller group of higher-paid roles pulls the average up, so the typical working Data Scientist in the state is closer to the $104,700 figure than the mean suggests.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. That projection covers the national occupation, not Tennessee specifically, but it signals strong underlying demand for the work itself.
Salary distribution
Where Tennessee data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $82,060 and $137,880, with a median of $104,700.
Data Scientists in Tennessee: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 471 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $96,491. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 64 | $68,398 |
| Level II — qualified | 163 | $82,035 |
| Level III — experienced | 116 | $99,687 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 78 | $119,205 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Tennessee. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Express Corporation | Data Analyst Advisor | 114 | $96,973 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Business Intelligence Engineer II | 55 | $104,000 |
| FedEx Dataworks, Inc. | Data Scientist Lead | 13 | $119,205 |
| FedEx Freight, Inc. | Advisor - Operations Research | 10 | $86,060 |
| Asurion, LLC | Data Scientist | 9 | $135,000 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Data Scientist Assistant 1 | 8 | $83,138 |
| ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | Program Mgr I-Quality Data | 7 | $86,320 |
| AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC | DATA SCIENTIST III | 7 | $107,000 |
| Enrich Technology Inc | Data Engineer | 7 | $67,995 |
| CitiusTech Inc. | Business Analyst | 7 | $92,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Business Intelligence Engineer II at Amazon.com Services LLC$104,000NashvilleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500961
- Data Scientist Advisor at Federal Express Corporation$129,373MemphisDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503759
- Data Scientist Merchandising at AutoZone, Inc.$92,000MemphisDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497620
- Specialist - Product Marketing at FedEx Freight, Inc.$84,980MemphisDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-495474
- Sr Data Scientist at Federal Express Corporation$104,391MemphisDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494656
- Program Mgr I-Quality Data at ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL$91,936MemphisDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-486157
- Business Intelligence Engineer II at Amazon.com Services LLC$104,000NashvilleDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-481654
- IT Support Engineer I at Amazon.com Services LLC$85,093NashvilleDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-481597
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Data Scientists pay by experience level in Tennessee
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Data Scientists specialties in Tennessee
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 272 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $112,373.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | FedEx Dataworks, Inc. | 56 | $112,373 |
| Business Analyst | Amazon.com Services LLC | 49 | $89,500 |
| Data Analyst | Federal Express Corporation | 44 | $83,390 |
| Data Engineer | Enrich Technology Inc | 33 | $98,805 |
| Business Intelligence Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 22 | $104,000 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | UNUM Group | 12 | $78,802 |
| Data Analyst Advisor | Federal Express Corporation | 11 | $119,205 |
| Digital Marketing Advisor | Federal Express Corporation | 10 | $96,491 |
| Business Intel Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 9 | $130,000 |
| Marketing Data Science Advisor | Federal Express Corporation | 9 | $96,491 |
| Product Management Advisor | Federal Express Corporation | 9 | $96,491 |
| Data Scientist Advisor | Federal Express Corporation | 8 | $119,205 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Tennessee, by industry
Median offered wage across 466 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Transportation and logistics leads with a median of $96,491.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 128 | $96,491 |
| Technology and software | Enrich Technology Inc | 99 | $85,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 89 | $102,900 |
| Professional services | FedEx Dataworks, Inc. | 51 | $119,205 |
| Finance and insurance | Asurion, LLC | 33 | $99,674 |
| Healthcare | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | 27 | $86,320 |
| Manufacturing | Medtronic, Inc. | 25 | $98,805 |
| Education | Vanderbilt University | 6 | $87,500 |
| Government and public sector | Shelby County Government | 3 | $68,640 |
| Nonprofit and civic | AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, INC. | 2 | $87,914 |
| Energy and utilities | Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. | 2 | $69,435 |
| Real estate | CAPSTONE REAL ESTATE GROUP, INC. | 1 | $76,981 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Tennessee over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+33.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Tennessee?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Tennessee is $104,700.
- How does Tennessee compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Tennessee median is -9.5% versus the BLS national figure of $115,636.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Tennessee?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,960 and the 90th-percentile at $190,000, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Data Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 33.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Data Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.