The average salary for a scientist in Tennessee is around $87,730 per year.
Avg Salary
Scientists earn an average yearly salary of $87,730.
Wages typically start from $56,519 and go up to $135,990.
42% above national average Updated in 2025
Scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level scientist earnings begin at:
$65.38 per hour
$135,990 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$54.69 per hour
$113,759 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level scientist earnings begin at:
$42.18 per hour
$87,730 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level scientist earnings begin at:
$33.13 per hour
$68,912 per year
10th percentile
Starting level scientist earnings begin at:
$27.17 per hour
$56,519 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $99,351 |
| Virginia | $98,109 |
| Colorado | $96,654 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,942 |
| New Hampshire | $95,537 |
| Florida | $95,080 |
| Delaware | $95,073 |
| North Carolina | $94,482 |
| Maine | $93,777 |
| Hawaii | $93,112 |
| Texas | $92,444 |
| Utah | $92,433 |
| Minnesota | $91,120 |
| New Mexico | $91,046 |
| Idaho | $90,982 |
| Illinois | $90,920 |
| Mississippi | $90,302 |
| Arizona | $89,711 |
| Georgia | $89,686 |
| Wisconsin | $89,228 |
| Nevada | $88,887 |
| Iowa | $87,866 |
| Tennessee | $87,730 |
| Ohio | $87,452 |
| Montana | $87,280 |
| Oklahoma | $86,912 |
| Missouri | $86,474 |
| Michigan | $86,210 |
| Kentucky | $86,146 |
| Wyoming | $86,099 |
| North Dakota | $86,070 |
| Louisiana | $85,797 |
| Alabama | $85,518 |
| South Carolina | $85,420 |
| Vermont | $84,927 |
| Indiana | $83,769 |
| Kansas | $83,441 |
| Nebraska | $82,020 |
| Arkansas | $80,035 |
| West Virginia | $78,766 |
| South Dakota | $76,975 |
| Guam | $72,445 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,194 |
| California | $119,602 |
| Massachusetts | $117,881 |
| District of Columbia | $115,003 |
| Maryland | $110,038 |
| Connecticut | $108,001 |
| Rhode Island | $107,377 |
| New Jersey | $105,434 |
| Oregon | $103,488 |
| Washington | $102,230 |
| Alaska | $100,515 |
How do scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Scientists earn about the same as related careers in Tennessee. On average, they make less than neuropsychologists but more than environmental restoration planners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Neuropsychologist salary | $138K |
| Statistician salary | $98K |
| Biostatistician salary | $98K |
| Atmospheric scientist salary | $96K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $97K |
| Scientist salary | $88K |
| Chemist salary | $88K |
| Food science technologist salary | $82K |
| Industrial ecologist salary | $77K |
| Environmental restoration planner salary | $77K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)