The average salary for a professor in Tennessee is around $72,390 per year.
Avg Salary
Professors earn an average yearly salary of $72,390.
Wages typically start from $47,330 and go up to $103,790.
15% above national average Updated in 2025
Vanderbilt University
Applied Behavior Analysis Online M.Ed.
Professor earnings by seniority
Top-level professor earnings begin at:
$49.90 per hour
$103,790 per year
Senior-level professor earnings begin at:
$40.07 per hour
$83,350 per year
Mid-level professor earnings begin at:
$34.80 per hour
$72,390 per year
Junior-level professor earnings begin at:
$27.77 per hour
$57,760 per year
Starting level professor earnings begin at:
$22.75 per hour
$47,330 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Professor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $83,710 |
| New York | $82,020 |
| Alaska | $81,890 |
| District of Columbia | $80,810 |
| Connecticut | $80,620 |
| Rhode Island | $80,030 |
| Massachusetts | $79,980 |
| Michigan | $79,910 |
| Minnesota | $78,950 |
| Nebraska | $78,950 |
| Maryland | $78,820 |
| Arizona | $78,520 |
| Vermont | $78,100 |
| New Jersey | $77,600 |
| North Dakota | $77,540 |
| Delaware | $77,170 |
| Utah | $77,090 |
| Virginia | $77,060 |
| Maine | $77,050 |
| Washington | $75,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,910 |
| Wisconsin | $74,790 |
| Arkansas | $74,500 |
| Nevada | $74,240 |
| Oregon | $73,880 |
| Tennessee | $72,390 |
| Montana | $70,320 |
| North Carolina | $70,050 |
| Texas | $68,280 |
| Colorado | $66,870 |
| South Carolina | $66,690 |
| Wyoming | $66,350 |
| Indiana | $66,150 |
| Missouri | $65,910 |
| Idaho | $65,720 |
| New Mexico | $64,830 |
| Alabama | $63,730 |
| Florida | $63,640 |
| South Dakota | $63,350 |
| West Virginia | $63,270 |
| Kansas | $63,010 |
| Georgia | $62,510 |
| Ohio | $62,400 |
| Iowa | $62,090 |
| Mississippi | $61,860 |
| Illinois | $61,560 |
| Kentucky | $61,450 |
| Oklahoma | $60,880 |
| Hawaii | $49,800 |
| New Hampshire | $49,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $31,680 |
| California | $111,850 |
How do professor salaries compare to similar careers?
Professors earn about the same as related careers in Tennessee. On average, they make less than school principals but more than elementary school teachers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| School principal salary | $98K |
| Music teacher salary | $72K |
| School psychologist salary | $77K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $73K |
| Professor salary | $72K |
| High school teacher salary | $62K |
| Librarian salary | $62K |
| School counselor salary | $60K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $60K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)