Sales Development Representative salary in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
The South Central Tennessee nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for sales development representatives: the median of $47,200 a year1 is 21.6% below the Tennessee statewide median of $60,230, and 32.6% below the US median of $69,990. Only 45 of 520 US areas pay less for this job. About 340 sales development representatives work here, 2% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 41-3091, area South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | $29,120 | $47,200 | $94,990 | |
| Tennessee | $33,900 | $60,230 | $115,740 | |
| United States | $37,980 | $69,990 | $148,840 |
The middle half of sales development representatives in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area earns $37,250–$73,050. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $94,990, only 3.3 times the bottom tenth, against 3.9 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($56,900) is 21% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $35,800 wide, against $38,320 across Tennessee and $52,810 nationally: employers in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a sales development representative here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,120 | $2,427 | $14.00 | $37,574 |
| 25th percentile | $37,250 | $3,104 | $17.91 | $48,065 |
| Median | $47,200 | $3,933 | $22.69 | $60,903 |
| 75th percentile | $73,050 | $6,088 | $35.12 | $94,258 |
| 90th percentile | $94,990 | $7,916 | $45.67 | $122,568 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $25,850 over the median, the 25th only $9,950 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $33,355 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,990 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, and the Tennessee statewide median of $60,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,703 to the $47,200 median and brings it to $60,903 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for sales development representatives 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 fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($50,420) and HR assistants ($45,060). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,590.
| Role | Median | vs sales development representative | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +7.3% | 90 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +6.8% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | this role | 340 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.5% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.2% | 1,110 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area (-32.6%); recruiters come first (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -14.3%, so, measured against the US, sales development representatives cost less in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Sales development representatives hold 3.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 6.0% across Tennessee and 7.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $37,870 in the East Tennessee nonmetro area to $62,930 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $25,060 a year. Of the 11 areas in Tennessee with more sales development representatives than the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 3 pay less: the East Tennessee nonmetro area ($37,870), the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($44,880) and Johnson City, TN ($46,320).
| Area | Median | vs the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | +9.2% | 360 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +2.0% | 500 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 400 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 340 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -1.9% | 350 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -4.9% | 370 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -19.8% | 590 |
the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area is #329 of 518 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, St. Joseph and Lake Charles pay just above the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area and Anniston-Oxford and Sumter just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many sales development representatives, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +9.6% | 340 | jobs | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | +5.7% | 340 | jobs | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +3.2% | 340 | jobs | |
| Lake Charles, LA | +0.2% | 390 | pay | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.0% | 120 | pay | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 340 | ||
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -0.1% | 150 | pay | |
| Sumter, SC | -0.1% | 200 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a sales development representative in South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro)?
About $60,903 a year at the median, or $5,075 a month: $47,200 in pay plus about $13,703 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for sales development representatives in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $47,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,120, the 90th $94,990, and the middle half earned $37,250 to $73,050.
Is the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for sales development representatives?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,200 against $60,230 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is the West Tennessee nonmetro area at $48,010, the next down Johnson City at $46,320.
How many sales development representatives work in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Tennessee total of 21,600. 11 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Johnson City, with about 350.
Does a sales development representative cost more than an HR assistant in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,200 and $45,060.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 41-3091: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.