Mechanical Engineers salary in Knoxville, TN
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Knoxville, TN: $91,330/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $60,580 – $138,960 · about 410 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($95,605) by −$4,275 (-4%).
What it's really worth in Knoxville
With Knoxville's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $91,330 has the buying power of about $99,020 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $66,715 · median home $367,158 · median rent $1,762/mo.
How Knoxville ranks for this job
On raw pay, Knoxville, TN is 111th of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Knoxville's cost of living is applied, it ranks 74th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Knoxville is one of the places where mechanical engineers gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Knoxville
A median home in Knoxville, TN costs $367,158 — about 4× 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 $1,762/mo works out at 23% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where mechanical engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Knoxville.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Knoxville | Rent vs Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +68% | 2.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +50% | 1.8× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +46% | 0.9× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +43% | 0.8× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Knoxville | Rent vs Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $102,140 | +12% | 0.8× |
| Kingsport, TN | $101,380 | +11% | 0.8× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $101,190 | +11% | 0.9× |
| Memphis, TN | $99,990 | +9% | 0.8× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Knoxville
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) · Energy
- Clayton Homes · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Knoxville
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 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.