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Paralegal salary and cost of hiring in Tennessee

The median paralegal in Tennessee earned $58,820 a year in May 2025[1], 6.5% below the US median of $62,890. That puts Tennessee at #36 of 51 states for this job.

$4,902median pay per month in Tennessee
$7,002employer cost per month with benefits
$28.28median pay per hour
6,080people in this job in Tennessee

BLS occupation 23-2011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Tennessee$43,570$58,820$83,100
United States$44,740$62,890$101,500
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of paralegals in Tennessee earns $47,270–$67,470; the top tenth earns $83,100 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Tennessee median that makes about $84,029 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for paralegals we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$84,029local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Tennessee

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$60,800
$75,5502,660
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$59,290
$67,470530
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$56,850
$70,5801,120
Clarksville, TN-KY
$56,010
$63,130240
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$54,210
$62,330200
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
$50,720
$56,670130
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
$50,640
$55,92090
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
$50,640
$58,91090
Johnson City, TN
$50,450
$50,510120
Morristown, TN
$49,940
$51,44030
Knoxville, TN
$49,780
$60,510770
Jackson, TN
$48,970
$61,120110
Cleveland, TN
$48,640
$59,49040
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
$46,640
$54,87080

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN pays the most ($60,800) and West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area the least ($46,640): $14,160 a year apart for the same job.

What a paralegal does

A paralegal supports lawyers with research, document drafting, filing and case management, under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Tennessee
North Dakota
$59,430
+1.0%
West Virginia
$59,000
+0.3%
Tennessee
$58,820
+0.0%
Wisconsin
$58,500
-0.5%
South Dakota
$58,320
-0.9%

Questions

How much does a paralegal earn in Tennessee?

The median was $58,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $47,270 to $67,470.

What does it cost to employ a paralegal in Tennessee?

About $84,029 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Tennessee do paralegals earn the most?

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, with a median of $60,800 a year.

Other roles in Tennessee

Hire paralegals remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.