Tennessee's average paralegal salary of $60,790 sits in the middle of the regional peer group. Georgia ($71,210) and Virginia ($70,740) pay meaningfully more, while Alabama ($52,730) pays less. If you recruit from higher-paying neighboring states, plan to match or exceed those benchmarks to close the hire.
Paralegal salary in Tennessee (2026)
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The average paralegal salary in Tennessee is $60,790 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $58,820 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Tennessee employs 6,080 paralegals across the state, and the $1,970 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior paralegals in Tennessee typically earn around $43,570, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed $83,100. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a paralegal hire, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $58,820 |
Average Annual Salary | $60,790 |
vs. National Average | 12.8% below the national mean of $69,700 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 6,080 employed paralegals across Tennessee.
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Paralegal salary percentiles in Tennessee
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $43,570 |
25th Percentile | $47,270 |
75th Percentile | $67,470 |
90th Percentile | $83,100 |
Employers hiring entry-level paralegals in Tennessee can anchor offers near $43,570, while roles requiring deeper specialization or significant experience will push compensation toward $83,100 and beyond. The spread across these percentiles is wide enough that the seniority and practice area of the role should drive where you set the initial offer, not the statewide average alone.
Paralegal salary by city in Tennessee
City | Average Annual Salary |
Nashville | $65,140 |
Memphis | $60,700 |
Chattanooga | $58,580 |
Clarksville | $57,480 |
Knoxville | $55,750 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to offer to attract a paralegal in Tennessee. Nashville commands the highest average at $65,140, which is $9,390 more than Knoxville's average of $55,750. If you are hiring outside Nashville, you may have room to set a more conservative initial offer while remaining competitive in that local market.
How Tennessee compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Tennessee | $60,790 | $58,820 |
Georgia | $71,210 | $62,400 |
Virginia | $70,740 | $63,990 |
North Carolina | $60,770 | $57,500 |
Kentucky | $59,240 | $59,830 |
Alabama | $52,730 | $47,260 |
Tennessee sits in the middle of the regional market, making it a cost-effective location relative to Georgia and Virginia but more expensive than Alabama. Employers in Tennessee pay a mean of $60,790, which is close to North Carolina's $60,770 and Kentucky's $59,240, so candidates with experience in those states will likely arrive with similar salary expectations. Georgia and Virginia represent the higher end of the regional range, so if you compete for talent from those markets, budget accordingly.
Frequently asked questions about paralegal salary in Tennessee
How does Tennessee compare to other states for paralegal salary?
What do the top-earning paralegals make in Tennessee?
Paralegals at the 90th percentile in Tennessee earn $83,100 per year. Roles at that level typically involve specialized practice areas, significant experience, or supervisory responsibilities. When budgeting for a senior hire, treat $83,100 as a realistic target rather than an outlier.
What is the salary range for a paralegal in Tennessee?
The published salary range for paralegals in Tennessee runs from $43,570 at the 10th percentile to $83,100 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $47,270 at the 25th percentile and $67,470 at the 75th percentile. Use the seniority and specialization of your open role to determine where within that range your offer should land.
What is the average paralegal salary in Tennessee?
The average paralegal salary in Tennessee is $60,790 per year, with a median of $58,820. The median is the more useful figure for most hiring decisions because it is less affected by a small number of very high earners at the top of the market. For most roles, anchoring your initial offer near the median and adjusting for experience will keep you competitive across the state.
Paralegal salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 23-2011 (Paralegals and Legal Assistants).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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