Police Officer Salary in Tennessee
What police officers earn across Tennessee, and what they keep after tax, rent and everyday costs.
- Median salary
- $59,280
- Median hourly wage
- $28.50
- Top 10% earn
- $79,480
- Kept after costs
- $18,977
Pay range
Half of Tennessee's 15,630 police officers earn more than $59,280 a year, and half earn less. The US median for the same job is $76,210.
Pay over time
In Tennessee, police officer pay rose 40% from 2015 to 2025, or 3% after inflation.
Yearly figures, 2015 to 2025
| May | Median pay | In 2025 dollars | US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $42,310 | $57,470 | $58,320 |
| 2016 | $43,190 | $57,935 | $59,680 |
| 2017 | $43,610 | $57,278 | $61,050 |
| 2018 | $44,270 | $56,758 | $61,380 |
| 2019 | $45,150 | $56,856 | $63,150 |
| 2020 | $47,090 | $58,577 | $65,540 |
| 2021 | $47,850 | $56,851 | $64,610 |
| 2022 | $48,230 | $53,057 | $65,790 |
| 2023 | $52,000 | $54,942 | $72,280 |
| 2024 | $59,410 | $60,973 | $76,290 |
| 2025 | $59,280 | $59,280 | $76,210 |
BLS designs these estimates as yearly snapshots and cautions against reading small year-to-year changes as trends. 2025 dollars use the CPI-U annual average.
What a police officer keeps in Tennessee
The median salary, after federal, payroll and state taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Median salary
- $59,280
- Federal income tax
- −$4,934
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,535
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,352
- Everyday costs
- −$16,482
a year, or $1,581 a month
Wages: BLS OEWS. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, statewide. Taxes: 2026 federal and state schedules, single filer.
At three pay levels
Half of police officers in Tennessee earn between the lower and higher pay shown here. Same statewide rent, everyday costs and taxes.
| Pay level | Salary | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-paid (25th percentile) | $48,710 | $10,485 |
| Typical (median) | $59,280 | $18,977 |
| Higher-paid (75th percentile) | $75,410 | $31,047 |
Compare cities in Tennessee
Pay and rent change from city to city. Here is what a police officer keeps in each Tennessee city we cover, using local pay and rent.
| City | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $75,410 | $30,823 |
| Nashville | $68,780 | $19,812 |
| Knoxville | $56,380 | $16,283 |
| Chattanooga | $51,330 | $10,864 |
Workers and pay are BLS metro-area estimates; the middle half earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
Try a city with your own salary
- Median salary
- $75,410
- Federal income tax
- −$7,760
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,769
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,508
- Everyday costs
- −$16,550
a year, or $2,569 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 schedules, single filer.
Police officer pay in other states
Ranked by what's left after taxes, rent and everyday costs, Tennessee comes 38 of 51. The ten states where a police officer keeps the most:
- Alaska$45,010
- Washington$40,456
- Illinois$38,948
- California$37,725
- Colorado$36,706
- Delaware$34,837
- North Dakota$33,812
- Pennsylvania$33,082
- Ohio$32,237
- Iowa$31,749
- Tennessee$18,977
Compare this job in two places: any two cities or states, at three pay levels.
Police officer salary by state
Pay and what's kept for police officers in every other state we cover, A–Z.
Other jobs in Tennessee
The 10 jobs closest to a police officer in what they keep: median pay and what's left after the same costs.
| Job | You keep |
|---|---|
| Accountant$13,076 more | $32,053 |
| Respiratory therapist$9,769 more | $28,746 |
| Radiologic technologist$4,299 more | $23,276 |
| Electrician$1,455 more | $20,432 |
| Teacher$1,195 more | $20,172 |
| Diesel mechanic$72 less | $18,905 |
| Licensed practical nurse$329 less | $18,648 |
| Paralegal$369 less | $18,608 |
| Truck driver$529 less | $18,448 |
| Plumber$546 less | $18,431 |
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Questions people ask
How much does a police officer make in Tennessee?
The median police officer salary in Tennessee is $59,280 a year ($28.50 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $43,520 and the top 10% earn over $79,480 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What does a police officer take home in Tennessee?
On the median salary, a police officer in Tennessee pays about $9,469 in federal, payroll and state taxes. After a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, they keeps $18,977 a year.
Where in Tennessee do police officers keep the most?
Of the Tennessee cities we cover, police officers keep the most in Memphis: a median salary of $75,410 and a $1,209 1-bedroom leave $30,823 a year after taxes and everyday costs.
Which states are best for police officers after costs?
Ranked by what's left after taxes, rent and everyday costs, Tennessee comes 38 of 51. The top states are Alaska ($45,010), Washington ($40,456), Illinois ($38,948).
Do police officers in Tennessee earn more than the US average?
No. The Tennessee median of $59,280 is $16,930 below the US median of $76,210.
Sources and method
Occupation codes (SOC): 33-3051. Statewide figures use the state median wage, a population-weighted statewide rent and state price levels; city figures use metro wages and city rents.
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate