Cost of hiring in the East Tennessee nonmetro area
BLS counts about 8,610 people in these 17 roles in the East Tennessee nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($88,910 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($32,760), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,530 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the East Tennessee nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | -10.1% | 1,190 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.8% | 110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -12.5% | 80 | |
| Project Coordinator | -13.1% | 330 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -13.8% | 520 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -14.2% | 110 | |
| Office Manager | -15.1% | n/a | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -16.1% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -17.0% | 1,310 | |
| Accountant | -17.8% | 600 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -18.4% | 1,530 | |
| Recruiter | -18.6% | 530 | |
| Paralegal | -19.5% | 90 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -21.1% | 1,120 | |
| Executive Assistant | -22.1% | 120 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -32.0% | 320 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -45.9% | 590 |
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 $36,510 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $47,110 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the East Tennessee nonmetro area against the US
The East Tennessee nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for bookkeepers (-10.1%) and HR assistants (-10.8%) and largest for sales development representatives (-45.9%). The middle gap across all 17 is -17.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for project coordinators, #306 of 518 areas by median pay; its lowest is for sales development representatives, #519 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the East Tennessee nonmetro area has more HR assistants (1.3% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (13.0% against 6.7%), and fewer paralegals (1.0% against 2.7%) and executive assistants (1.4% against 3.2%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; College Station-Bryan, TX is nearest, at -16.9%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Angelo, TX | -16.9% | 14 | 5,080 |
| Hinesville, GA | -16.9% | 14 | 1,370 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -16.9% | 15 | 2,880 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -16.9% | 17 | 12,750 |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -17.0% (this area) | 17 | 8,610 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -17.2% | 15 | 6,570 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the East Tennessee nonmetro area span $23,650–$84,350, the widest band (3.6×); HR assistants the narrowest, $34,870–$57,220. Wider than nationally for executive assistants and office managers, narrower for marketing specialists and HR assistants. Budget from the median for sales development representatives, executive assistants, project coordinators and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($50,260 against a $37,870 median for sales development representatives).
the East Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee
Against Tennessee as a whole, the East Tennessee nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 17 roles, led by project coordinators (+3.5%) and e-commerce order specialists (+3.2%), and less for 15, most of all sales development representatives (-37.1%). It has the lowest median in Tennessee for office managers, marketing specialists and sales development representatives and 2 more roles.
Other areas in Tennessee
By jobs in these roles, the East Tennessee nonmetro area is #11 of 14 areas in Tennessee. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Chattanooga to Cleveland.
| 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 |
| Jackson, TN | 7,250 | 17 |
| Morristown, TN | 3,900 | 17 |
| Cleveland, TN | 3,610 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the East Tennessee nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $88,910 a year, about $114,723 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $32,760.
Is hiring in the East Tennessee nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for sales development representatives (-45.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.