How much do Physicists make in Knoxville, TN?

Percentile spread

For Physicists, the published 10th percentile is $104,890 and the 90th percentile is $225,520. The difference is $120,630, which is 73.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $136,570 to the 75th at $165,010, covers $28,440.

The mean annual wage is $156,290, which sits below the median of $165,010. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Knoxville, TN median is 4.2% lower than the national median of $172,250 for Physicists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $178,256, which is 3.5% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is about the same as the Tennessee median of $165,010.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Knoxville, TN is 92.569, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $165,010 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Physicists at $178,256 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

4 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Physicists. Knoxville, TN ranks 2nd of 5 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC is 135 miles away, with a median of $128,040 and employment of 70. That median is 22.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $137,294, against $178,256 here.
• Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN is 145 miles away, with a median of $236,920. That median is 43.6% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $245,926, against $178,256 here.
• Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is 160 miles away, with a median of $144,870 and employment of 100. That median is 12.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $144,786, against $178,256 here.

Employment share

Physicists accounts for 0.03% of wage-and-salary employment in Knoxville, TN (120 of 424,600). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (20,430 of 155,495,730). The local share is 2.15 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.