Cost of hiring in Jackson, TN
BLS counts about 7,250 people in these 17 roles in Jackson1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($81,450 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($33,860), and Medical Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,080 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Jackson
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | -8.8% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | -10.7% | 800 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.9% | 270 | |
| Office Manager | -11.8% | 1,040 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -12.3% | 70 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.6% | 970 | |
| Accountant | -14.0% | 520 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -14.3% | 850 | |
| Recruiter | -16.5% | 370 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -17.0% | 1,080 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -17.9% | 60 | |
| Project Coordinator | -20.4% | 330 | |
| Paralegal | -22.1% | 110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -25.5% | 80 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -26.4% | 360 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -26.6% | 140 | |
| Executive Assistant | -27.2% | 100 |
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 $38,100 median for medical administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $49,161 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Jackson against the US
Jackson pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for HR assistants (-8.8%) and bookkeepers (-10.7%) and largest for executive assistants (-27.2%). The middle gap across all 17 is -16.5%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for office managers, #313 of 519 areas by median pay; its lowest is for e-commerce order specialists, #283 of 287.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Jackson has more medical administrative assistants (14.9% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and HR assistants (1.4% against 0.6%), and fewer marketing specialists (1.9% against 5.7%) 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; Athens-Clarke County, GA is nearest, at -16.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria, TX | -16.4% | 13 | 3,320 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -16.4% | 15 | 7,860 |
| Jackson, TN | -16.5% (this area) | 17 | 7,250 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -16.5% | 15 | 4,800 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -16.5% | 15 | 5,000 |
| Columbia, MO | -16.5% | 16 | 10,200 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Jackson span $33,960–$105,800, the widest band (3.1×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $30,140–$48,540. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, project coordinators and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($62,170 against a $51,540 median for sales development representatives).
Jackson against Tennessee
Against Tennessee as a whole, Jackson pays about the same or less for all 17 roles, and less for 16, most of all executive assistants (-18.2%). It has the lowest median in Tennessee for e-commerce order specialists.
Other areas in Tennessee
By jobs in these roles, Jackson is #12 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 |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,610 | 17 |
| Morristown, TN | 3,900 | 17 |
| Cleveland, TN | 3,610 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Jackson?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $81,450 a year, about $105,097 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $33,860.
Is hiring in Jackson cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-27.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.