Cost of hiring in Cleveland, TN
BLS counts about 3,610 people in these 15 roles in Cleveland1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($80,720 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($32,770), and Office Manager is the largest job, with about 600 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Cleveland
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | -9.8% | 390 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -13.8% | 160 | |
| Bookkeeper | -13.8% | 400 | |
| Accountant | -14.1% | 180 | |
| Office Manager | -14.8% | 600 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -16.0% | 510 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -16.0% | 590 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -17.7% | 40 | |
| HR Assistant | -18.8% | 30 | |
| Recruiter | -20.3% | 200 | |
| Project Coordinator | -21.1% | 130 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -21.8% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | -22.7% | 40 | |
| Executive Assistant | -23.6% | 50 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -25.9% | 160 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $59,190 median for office managers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $76,374 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Cleveland against the US
Cleveland pays below the US median for all 15 roles. The gap is smallest for administrative assistants (-9.8%) and virtual receptionists (-13.8%) and largest for sales development representatives (-25.9%). The middle gap across all 15 is -17.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #302 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for HR assistants, #360 of 384.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Cleveland has more medical administrative assistants (14.1% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and office managers (16.6% against 9.2%), and fewer paralegals (1.1% against 2.5%) and executive assistants (1.4% against 2.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Gulfport-Biloxi, MS is nearest, at -17.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -17.6% | 14 | 4,330 |
| Johnstown, PA | -17.6% | 15 | 3,870 |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -17.7% | 16 | 8,510 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | -17.7% | 17 | 12,820 |
| Cleveland, TN | -17.7% (this area) | 15 | 3,610 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -17.8% | 14 | 3,760 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Cleveland span $33,460–$99,300, the widest band (3.0×); virtual receptionists the narrowest, $24,040–$39,500. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 15 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, recruiters, executive assistants and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($59,880 against a $51,860 median for sales development representatives).
Cleveland against Tennessee
Against Tennessee as a whole, Cleveland pays less for every one of the 15 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for medical administrative assistants (-3.4%) and is furthest below for paralegals (-17.3%). It has the lowest median in Tennessee for HR assistants.
Other areas in Tennessee
By jobs in these roles, Cleveland is #14 of 14 areas in Tennessee. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Chattanooga to Morristown.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 28,700 | 17 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 11,540 | 17 |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 10,290 | 17 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 9,360 | 17 |
| Johnson City, TN | 9,340 | 17 |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 9,320 | 17 |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,960 | 17 |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,610 | 17 |
| Jackson, TN | 7,250 | 17 |
| Morristown, TN | 3,900 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Cleveland?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $80,720 a year, about $104,155 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $32,770.
Is hiring in Cleveland cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 15 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for sales development representatives (-25.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.