Average Teacher Salary in Nashville, TN

The average Teacher in Nashville, TN earns $60,600 per year. See how this compares to the national average and what it means for your budget.

Average Salary
$60600
Median Salary
$62850
vs. National
17.9% below
Real Pay (COL-adjusted)
$62904

“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 Teachers actually earn in Nashville

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

10th (entry) $48790
25th $50620
Median $62850
75th $64940
90th (top) $77580

5530 Teachers employed in the Nashville metro.

Can a Teacher 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)$48790$19602851%
Median$62850$25251866%
Top (90th)$77580$31170081%

What’s this salary worth in another city?

What you earn (or want to compare)

Take-home pay for a Teacher 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, Teachers earn a median of $62,850 a year — about 15% below the U.S. median of $73,800. Among the 50 metros tracked here for this role, that ranks #36.

What that pay is worth in Nashville

Local prices run 96 on the BEA cost-of-living index (U.S. = 100), so a $60,600 salary stretches further than the sticker number — about $62,904 in national-average buying power.

Can Teachers afford a home in Nashville?

A typical Nashville home runs about $383,100 — 6.3 times the average Teacher salary, a stretch against the classic 3x rule of thumb. Median rent near $1,486/mo takes roughly 29% of gross pay — within the 30% comfort line.

The Teacher pay ladder in Nashville

Entry-level (10th percentile) Teachers earn about $48,790; the top 10% reach $77,580 — a $28,790 spread, narrow for this field. Most of that gap comes down to experience, employer, and how hard you negotiate.

The Teacher job market in Nashville

Nashville employs roughly 5,530 Teachers. It’s a sizable local market to build a career in.

Compare Nashville with other cities

See the full Teacher 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 Teachers make in Nashville?

The average Teacher in Nashville, TN earns about $60,600 per year, 17.9% below the national average of $73,800.

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

After federal and TN taxes, this $60,600 salary is worth about $50,872 a year - roughly $4,239 a month in take-home pay, an effective tax rate near 16%.

What do the highest-paid Teachers earn in Nashville?

The top 10% of Teachers in Nashville earn about $77,580 a year, versus about $48,790 for the bottom 10%.

Can Teachers afford a home in Nashville?

A typical Nashville home runs about $383,100 - roughly 6.3x this salary, a stretch by the 3x rule, so budgeting discipline matters.

Put your money to work