Technology Knoxville, TN Pop. 190,740

Data Engineer Salary in Knoxville, Tennessee

The median data engineer salary in Knoxville, TN is $110,000 per year, which is 12% below the national median and 1.1% below the Tennessee state average.

City Median
$110,000
vs State Avg
$-1,250
vs National
$-15,000
Cost of Living
88%

Data Engineer Pay in Knoxville: What to Expect (2026)

Knoxville offers a median data engineer salary of $110,000, which is $1,250 below the Tennessee state average of $111,250. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Knoxville pays below the national benchmark for this role.

One of Knoxville's biggest advantages is its low cost of living at 88% of the national average. This means the $110,000 salary stretches further here — equivalent to roughly $125,000 in an average-cost city. This makes Knoxville an attractive option for data engineers seeking strong real-dollar compensation.

The salary range for data engineers in Knoxville spans from $68,640 at the 10th percentile to $167,200 at the 90th percentile — a $98,560 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $70,400, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $158,400. With a population of 190,740, Knoxville is a mid-sized metro with a growing job market.

Data Engineer Salary in Knoxville by Experience

In Knoxville, an entry-level data engineer earns around $70,400, while experienced professionals earn up to $158,400 per year. The local cost of living index is 88% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$70,400
$-9,600 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$111,760
$-15,240 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$158,400
$-21,600 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Knoxville, TN

Percentile Knoxville
10th Percentile $68,640
25th Percentile $88,000
Median (50th) $110,000
75th Percentile $139,040
90th Percentile $167,200

Data Engineer Salary in Other Tennessee Cities

Nashville, TN
$125,000
Pop. 689,447
Murfreesboro, TN
$115,000
Pop. 152,769
Chattanooga, TN
$110,000
Pop. 181,099
Memphis, TN
$107,500
Pop. 633,104

How to Become a Data Engineer in Knoxville

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Knoxville and the surrounding Tennessee area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Knoxville may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Knoxville

Browse open data engineer positions in Knoxville, TN:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Knoxville

How much does a Data Engineer make in Knoxville, TN? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Knoxville, Tennessee is $110,000 per year, which is 12% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $68,640 (10th percentile) to $167,200 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Knoxville? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $110,000, a data engineer in Knoxville earns approximately $53 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Knoxville compare to the Tennessee state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Knoxville's median data engineer salary of $110,000 is 1.1% below the Tennessee state average of $111,250. The local cost of living index is 88% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Knoxville, TN? ▼
Knoxville has a cost of living index of 88% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $110,000 in Knoxville has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Knoxville? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Knoxville require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.