Nurse Practitioner Salary in Tennessee (BLS May 2025)
Nurse practitioners in Tennessee earned a median of $117,590 a year ($56.54 an hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is 11% below the national NP median of $132,300, and it ranks 50th of the 50 states and D.C.
Median salary
$117,590
Median hourly
$56.54
Average (mean)
$115,510
NPs employed
12,150
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates for Nurse Practitioners (SOC 29-1171), retrieved 2026-10-22. Employed (wage-and-salary) NPs in all settings; excludes self-employed NPs.
NP pay range in Tennessee
Half of Tennessee's nurse practitioners earned between $102,640 and $130,330. The spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile is $55,090, which reflects specialty (family, psychiatric, acute care), setting and region within the state.
| Percentile | Tennessee annual | Hourly equivalent | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,790 | $39.80 | $101,340 |
| 25th percentile | $102,640 | $49.35 | $117,990 |
| Median (50th) | $117,590 | $56.53 | $132,300 |
| 75th percentile | $130,330 | $62.66 | $156,700 |
| 90th percentile | $137,880 | $66.29 | $174,420 |
Hourly equivalent = annual ÷ 2,080 hours, the convention BLS uses to annualize hourly wages. BLS publishes the median hourly wage directly ($56.54); small differences are rounding.
Nurse practitioner vs registered nurse pay in Tennessee
Nurse practitioner, median
$117,590
$56.54/hr · 12,150 employed
Registered nurse, median
$81,500
$39.18/hr · 72,200 employed
In Tennessee the NP median is $36,090 (44%) higher than the RN median. Both figures are BLS estimates for May 2025. The step up requires a graduate degree (MSN or DNP), national board certification in a population focus and state APRN licensure, so the gap is the return on two to four more years of education.
What a median NP paycheck looks like in Tennessee
Gross pay at the Tennessee median, and the federal taxes on it for a single filer taking the 2026 standard deduction. Retirement, insurance and other payroll deductions vary by employer and are not included.
| Yearly | Monthly | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay (median) | $117,590 | $9,799 | $4,523 |
| Federal income tax | $17,040 | $1,420 | $655 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $8,996 | $750 | $346 |
| Tennessee income tax | $0 — no state tax on wages | ||
| Take-home | $91,555 | $7,630 | $3,521 |
Taxes: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets and standard deduction, SSA 2026 wage base. See methodology.
Tennessee vs neighboring states
Median nurse practitioner pay in the states that border Tennessee:
| State | Median salary | Median hourly | vs Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $117,590 | $56.54 | — |
| Missouri | $129,930 | $62.47 | +$12,340 |
| Georgia | $129,430 | $62.22 | +$11,840 |
| North Carolina | $128,990 | $62.01 | +$11,400 |
| Virginia | $127,810 | $61.45 | +$10,220 |
| Arkansas | $125,660 | $60.41 | +$8,070 |
| Mississippi | $124,730 | $59.96 | +$7,140 |
| Kentucky | $122,870 | $59.07 | +$5,280 |
| Alabama | $105,750 | $50.84 | −$11,840 |
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN licenses only. A nurse practitioner needs an APRN license in each state where they practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurse practitioners make in Tennessee?
Nurse practitioners in Tennessee earned a median of $117,590 a year ($56.54 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average (mean) was $115,510. That median is 11% below the national NP median of $132,300 and ranks 50th of the 50 states and D.C.
What do the highest-paid nurse practitioners in Tennessee make?
The top 10% of nurse practitioners in Tennessee earned at least $137,880 a year, and the top quarter at least $130,330. The bottom 10% earned less than $82,790. These are BLS percentile estimates for employed NPs across all settings, not offers for a specific job.
How much more do nurse practitioners make than RNs in Tennessee?
The NP median in Tennessee ($117,590) is $36,090 a year, or 44%, above the registered nurse median of $81,500, both from BLS for May 2025. Becoming an NP requires a graduate degree (MSN or DNP), national board certification and state APRN licensure.
What is a nurse practitioner's paycheck in Tennessee?
At the Tennessee median of $117,590, gross pay is about $9,799 a month or $4,523 every two weeks. For a single filer with the standard deduction, 2026 federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare come to about $26,035 a year. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so take-home is about $91,555 a year ($3,521 every two weeks), before retirement or insurance deductions.
How many nurse practitioners work in Tennessee?
BLS estimated 12,150 nurse practitioners employed in Tennessee in May 2025, the 6th largest NP workforce of the 50 states and D.C.
About this data
These figures are the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the latest published. OEWS surveys employers, so it measures employed nurse practitioners in all settings and excludes self-employed NPs and locum or travel contract pay. Means are pulled up by high earners, which is why we lead with the median.
See nurse practitioner salary in every state for the full ranking.