Electrical Engineers in Tennessee. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Electrical Engineer in Tennessee earned $109,870 in 2024, about 4% below the national median of $114,360. That gap is smaller than many people expect for a state outside the coastal tech clusters.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. The bottom 10% earned $73,590, and the top 10% reached $162,450. That range of nearly $89,000 reflects how much role type and seniority move the number. A junior engineer at a regional utility and a senior power systems specialist at a defense contractor both fall under this occupation code.
Cost of living shifts the picture. Tennessee's overall cost-of-living index sits at 92.5 against the national baseline of 100. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the state median of $109,870 works out to roughly $118,800 in national-baseline dollars. On that basis, Tennessee's pay comes out ahead of the national median, not behind it.
BLS projects employment for Electrical Engineers to grow 7.1% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as faster than average. Tennessee has a base of 2,570 employed in this occupation, spread across manufacturing, utilities, and defense-adjacent work that tends to concentrate in the state's mid-size metros.
Salary distribution
Where Tennessee electrical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $84,220 and $132,050, with a median of $104,450.
Electrical Engineers in Tennessee: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 55 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $100,589. 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 | 15 | $80,891 |
| Level II — qualified | 22 | $97,240 |
| Level III — experienced | 6 | $124,176 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 9 | $151,800 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Electrical Engineers in Tennessee. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Associates, Inc. | Engineering Associate | 3 | $80,891 |
| SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC. | Medium Voltage Switchgear Product Lead | 3 | $151,800 |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated | Analog Design Engineer | 3 | $120,000 |
| Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. | Infotainment Validation Specialist | 3 | $114,627 |
| Automation NTH | Controls Engineer | 2 | $86,000 |
| Avanti Corporation | Plant Engineer | 2 | $78,000 |
| Black & Veatch Corporation | Electrical Engineer 3 | 2 | $97,240 |
| Cummins Filtration Inc. | CE Product Engineer | 2 | $111,831 |
| MESA ASSOCIATES, INC. | P&C Group Lead | 2 | $89,066 |
| Reinhausen Manufacturing Inc. | Order Engineer | 2 | $96,588 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Second Target Station Control Systems Engineer at UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY)$169,157Oak RidgeWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-718941
- Senior Electrical Engineer at Stantec Consulting Services Inc.$150,738NashvilleWage Level IVDecided Mar 5, 2026I-200-26057-666700
- Controls Engineer at Tek Labs, Inc.$93,642MaryvilleWage Level IIDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25314-394583
- Engineer II - Relay Settings at Qualus, LLC$100,589ChattanoogaWage Level IIDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25307-365295
- Senior Electrical Engineer at TERREPOWER, LLC$139,871SpartaWage Level IIDecided Sep 24, 2025I-200-25260-316132
- Controls Engineer at Fives DyAG Corporation$78,104Spring HillWage Level IDecided Aug 18, 2025I-200-25223-234352
- Systems Studies Engineer III at Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc.$115,690KnoxvilleWage Level IIIDecided Jul 31, 2025I-200-25205-198421
- Senior Electrical Engineer at Heirloom Carbon Technologies, Inc.$134,160SmyrnaWage Level IVDecided Jul 23, 2025I-200-25197-180169
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.
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Electrical Engineers 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.
Electrical Engineers specialties in Tennessee
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 14 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Electrical Engineer at a median of $137,016.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Black & Veatch Corporation | 6 | $137,016 |
| Controls Engineer | Automation NTH | 5 | $86,000 |
| Infotainment Validation Specialist | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. | 3 | $114,627 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Electrical Engineers in Tennessee, by industry
Median offered wage across 55 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $112,314.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC. | 28 | $112,314 |
| Professional services | Mesa Associates, Inc. | 19 | $97,240 |
| Energy and utilities | Hyosung HICO Ltd. | 4 | $124,591 |
| Technology and software | Tek Labs, Inc. | 3 | $98,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 1 | $116,106 |
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 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Written Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
- 02
Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
- 03
Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
- 04
Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
- 05
Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
- 06
Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
- 07
Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
- 08
Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+7.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Electrical Engineers in Tennessee?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Electrical Engineers in Tennessee is $104,450.
- How does Tennessee compare to the national median for Electrical Engineers?
- The Tennessee median is -9.2% versus the BLS national figure of $114,971.
- What is the salary range for Electrical Engineers in Tennessee?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $73,850 and the 90th-percentile at $166,210, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Electrical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 7.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Electrical Engineers?
- 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.