Lawyers salary in Chattanooga, TN
Median pay for lawyers in Chattanooga, TN: $130,420/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $59,990 – $239,200 · about 740 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($119,840) by +$10,580 (+9%).
What it's really worth in Chattanooga
With Chattanooga's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $130,420 has the buying power of about $141,224 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $65,387 · median home $326,370 · median rent $1,530/mo.
How Chattanooga ranks for this job
On raw pay, Chattanooga, TN is 49th of the 183 metros we hold lawyers wages for. Once Chattanooga's cost of living is applied, it ranks 38th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Chattanooga sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Chattanooga
A median home in Chattanooga, TN costs $326,370 — about 2.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,530/mo works out at 14% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where lawyers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Chattanooga.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $239,200 | +83% | 2.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $217,340 | +67% | 2.1× |
| Los Angeles, CA | $194,020 | +49% | 1.9× |
| New York, NY | $185,790 | +42% | 2.3× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $134,380 | +3% | 1.2× |
| Memphis, TN | $121,550 | −7% | 0.9× |
| Knoxville, TN | $113,510 | −13% | 1.2× |
| Kingsport, TN | $110,930 | −15% | 0.9× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires lawyers around Chattanooga
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee · Finance
- Unum Group · Finance
Other jobs in Chattanooga
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 183 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.