Cost of hiring in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
BLS counts about 8,960 people in these 17 roles in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($81,590 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($30,720), and Medical Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,360 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | -7.2% | 480 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -8.7% | 50 | |
| Accountant | -9.7% | 530 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.0% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.7% | 1,110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -11.9% | 90 | |
| Office Manager | -12.4% | 1,280 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.5% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.3% | 1,170 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.4% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -18.4% | 1,360 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -19.2% | 290 | |
| Paralegal | -19.5% | 90 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -19.6% | 1,220 | |
| Project Coordinator | -20.3% | 450 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -27.6% | 210 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -32.6% | 340 |
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 $37,470 median for medical administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $48,348 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against the US
The South Central Tennessee nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for recruiters (-7.2%) and data entry specialists (-8.7%) and largest for sales development representatives (-32.6%). The middle gap across all 17 is -14.3%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for recruiters, #182 of 521 areas by median pay; its lowest is for virtual receptionists, #489 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area has more medical administrative assistants (15.2% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and e-commerce order specialists (1.0% against 0.5%), and fewer executive assistants (1.1% against 2.9%) and paralegals (1.0% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL is nearest, at -14.2%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | -14.2% | 17 | 11,690 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -14.2% | 15 | 8,150 |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -14.3% (this area) | 17 | 8,960 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | -14.5% | 15 | 7,570 |
| Jefferson City, MO | -14.5% | 16 | 8,300 |
| Longview, TX | -14.6% | 17 | 10,300 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area span $29,120–$94,990, the widest band (3.3×); HR assistants the narrowest, $37,330–$57,350. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, project coordinators and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($56,900 against a $47,200 median for sales development representatives).
the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee
Against Tennessee as a whole, the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 17 roles, led by recruiters (+4.6%) and e-commerce order specialists (+3.8%), and less for 15, most of all sales development representatives (-21.6%). It has the highest median in Tennessee for recruiters, and the lowest for administrative assistants.
Other areas in Tennessee
By jobs in these roles, the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area is #10 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 |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,610 | 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 South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $81,590 a year, about $105,277 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,720.
Is hiring in the South Central 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 (-32.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.