Average Accountant Salary in Nashville, TN

The average Accountant in Nashville, TN earns $86,900 per year. See how this compares to the national average and what it means for your budget.

Average Salary
$86900
Median Salary
$76440
vs. National
4.3% below
Real Pay (COL-adjusted)
$90203

“Real pay” adjusts the average for Nashville’s cost of living (Regional Price Parity 96.338, U.S. average = 100) — what this salary is worth in national-average dollars.

What Accountants actually earn in Nashville

The spread from entry-level (10th percentile) to top earners (90th), from BLS wage data.

10th (entry) $53770
25th $62770
Median $76440
75th $95450
90th (top) $137990

11940 Accountants employed in the Nashville metro.

Can a Accountant afford a home in Nashville?

Max home price under the 28% rule (housing ≤ 28% of gross), 10% down, 6.7% 30-yr rate. Median Nashville home: $383100.

Earnings levelSalaryMax homeMedian home?
Entry (10th)$53770$21603756%
Median$76440$30712080%
Top (90th)$137990$554415Yes

What’s this salary worth in another city?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Take-home pay for a Accountant in Nashville

Estimated pay after federal, FICA, and TN state taxes (2026). Prefilled with the local average — adjust for your situation.

Estimate only — not tax advice. Tax year 2026, federal + FICA + state (single or married filing jointly). Excludes local/city income taxes (e.g., NYC, Philadelphia) and individual credits. See our methodology.

Nashville at a glance

Population684298
Median household income$75197
Median home value$383100
Median rent$1486/mo
Cost of living (RPP, U.S.=100)96.338
Bachelor’s degree or higher29.1%
Poverty rate13.7%

In Nashville, TN, Accountants earn a median of $76,440 a year — about 16% below the U.S. median of $90,780. Among the 50 metros tracked here for this role, that ranks #40.

What that pay is worth in Nashville

Local prices run 96 on the BEA cost-of-living index (U.S. = 100), so a $86,900 salary stretches further than the sticker number — about $90,203 in national-average buying power.

Can Accountants afford a home in Nashville?

A typical Nashville home runs about $383,100 — 4.4 times the average Accountant salary, manageable against the classic 3x rule of thumb. Median rent near $1,486/mo takes roughly 21% of gross pay — within the 30% comfort line.

The Accountant pay ladder in Nashville

Entry-level (10th percentile) Accountants earn about $53,770; the top 10% reach $137,990 — a $84,220 spread, wide for this field. Most of that gap comes down to experience, employer, and how hard you negotiate.

The Accountant job market in Nashville

Nashville employs roughly 11,940 Accountants. It’s a sizable local market to build a career in.

Compare Nashville with other cities

See the full Accountant salary by city ranking to weigh Nashville against the other metros on both pay and cost-adjusted value, or use the cost-of-living calculator to compare any two cities directly.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Accountants make in Nashville?

The average Accountant in Nashville, TN earns about $86,900 per year, 4.3% below the national average of $90,780.

What is the take-home pay for Accountants in Nashville after taxes?

After federal and TN taxes, this $86,900 salary is worth about $69,964 a year - roughly $5,830 a month in take-home pay, an effective tax rate near 19%.

What do the highest-paid Accountants earn in Nashville?

The top 10% of Accountants in Nashville earn about $137,990 a year, versus about $53,770 for the bottom 10%.

Can Accountants afford a home in Nashville?

A typical Nashville home runs about $383,100 - roughly 4.4x this salary, within reach by the classic 3x rule of thumb.

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