Highest paying jobs in Knoxville that require a bachelor's degree
Highest paying jobs in Knoxville that require a bachelor's degree
While college and university tuition costs may be skyrocketing, many still believe a bachelor’s degree is essential to landing a high-paying job in the United States. Stacker compiled a list of the highest paying jobs that typically require a bachelors in Knoxville using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage.
Whether highly technical, scientific, or based in finance or the arts, all the jobs require keeping up to date with the latest developments in culture, commerce, or tech.
Keep reading to discover the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor degree in Knoxville.
#50. Commercial and industrial designers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $69,620
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,820
- Employment: 32,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($117,070)
--- Greensboro-High Point, NC ($96,760)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($91,480)
#49. Accountants and auditors
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $71,460
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,520
- Employment: 1,280,700
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($102,090)
--- Salinas, CA ($97,640)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($95,570)
#48. Tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $73,430
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,960
- Employment: 53,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,170)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($95,150)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($94,050)
#47. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $75,160
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,940
- Employment: 84,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($122,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,180)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($104,210)
#46. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $75,260
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,090
- Employment: 437,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,880)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($148,960)
--- Owensboro, KY ($133,600)
#45. Computer programmers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $75,450
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,610
- Employment: 199,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,400)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,990)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($113,760)
#44. Computer systems analysts
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $76,050
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,160
- Employment: 589,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($121,300)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($119,540)
#43. Materials scientists
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $76,740
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,430
- Employment: 6,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($134,280)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($129,900)
--- Cleveland-Elyria, OH ($128,700)
#42. Construction managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $77,160
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 840
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,000
- Employment: 293,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($160,500)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($148,140)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($146,820)
#41. Database administrators and architects
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $77,480
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $96,110
- Employment: 125,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,580)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($116,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($114,960)
#40. Network and computer systems administrators
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $77,840
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830
National
- Annual mean salary: $88,410
- Employment: 354,450
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,440)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($112,910)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($109,790)
#39. Architects, except landscape and naval
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $78,420
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,560
- Employment: 105,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($123,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,550)
--- Lubbock, TX ($116,720)
#38. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $78,510
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $108,350
- Employment: 29,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tulsa, OK ($207,900)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($170,220)
--- Midland, TX ($165,590)
#37. Budget analysts
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $79,890
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,300
- Employment: 51,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,920)
--- Boulder, CO ($103,670)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($100,770)
#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $80,420
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,780
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,980
- Employment: 306,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($136,780)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($128,380)
--- Casper, WY ($125,850)
#35. Labor relations specialists
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $81,460
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,870
- Employment: 75,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spartanburg, SC ($111,160)
--- Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($106,620)
--- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($106,380)
#34. Occupational health and safety specialists
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $81,920
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,290
- Employment: 92,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($108,230)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($99,020)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($97,560)
#33. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $84,610
- #261 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $111,620
- Employment: 1,406,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($145,730)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($145,250)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($134,090)
#32. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $85,350
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $174,870
- Employment: 84,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($243,550)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($241,310)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($238,320)
#31. Compensation and benefits managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $85,990
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $134,210
- Employment: 16,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($181,770)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($179,430)
--- New Haven, CT ($179,310)
#30. Conservation scientists
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $86,930
- #12 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,040
- Employment: 22,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($99,620)
--- Trenton, NJ ($99,110)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,190)
#29. Art directors
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $87,520
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $109,600
- Employment: 42,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($142,650)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,970)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($134,810)
#28. Management analysts
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $87,880
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,560
- Employment: 709,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($132,090)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($127,750)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($127,570)
#27. Industrial engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $88,440
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,660
- Employment: 291,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,850)
--- Billings, MT ($124,350)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,940)
#26. Training and development managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $88,840
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $123,470
- Employment: 38,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,900)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,850)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,380)
#25. Human resources managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $90,020
- #282 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $129,570
- Employment: 154,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($196,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($174,390)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($170,070)
#24. Financial examiners
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $90,570
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,330
- Employment: 64,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($125,290)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($125,150)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($124,720)
#23. Chemists
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $91,740
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $84,150
- Employment: 83,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Peoria, IL ($127,750)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($124,540)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($116,030)
#22. Computer network architects
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $94,870
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,110
- Employment: 152,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,400)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($151,650)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,100)
#21. Civil engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $95,400
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,360
- Employment: 310,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,110)
--- Midland, TX ($117,900)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($117,200)
#20. Computer hardware engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $95,760
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $123,030
- Employment: 67,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($161,210)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($149,740)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($142,820)
#19. Medical and health services managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $96,040
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,160
- Employment: 394,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($163,280)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($159,190)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,570)
#18. Information security analysts
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $96,710
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,210
- Employment: 125,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($127,850)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,570)
#17. Financial managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $97,340
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,050
National
- Annual mean salary: $147,530
- Employment: 654,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($208,770)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($203,430)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($182,190)
#16. Sales engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $98,360
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $112,780
- Employment: 63,550
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($158,150)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($156,600)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($153,860)
#15. Environmental engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $100,580
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $94,220
- Employment: 53,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,340)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($120,600)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($117,170)
#14. Purchasing managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $101,040
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $128,400
- Employment: 72,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($171,560)
--- Morgantown, WV ($163,830)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($160,620)
#13. Mechanical engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $106,420
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,540
- Employment: 306,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($125,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($123,270)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($120,950)
#12. General and operations managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $107,240
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,410
National
- Annual mean salary: $123,030
- Employment: 2,400,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($189,060)
--- Trenton, NJ ($173,050)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,160)
#11. Marketing managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $108,050
- #206 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
National
- Annual mean salary: $149,200
- Employment: 263,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($199,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($188,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($183,460)
#10. Electrical engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $108,750
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $103,480
- Employment: 185,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,450)
--- Salinas, CA ($129,850)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($128,080)
#9. Sales managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $110,260
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $141,690
- Employment: 402,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($195,220)
--- Trenton, NJ ($178,020)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($175,500)
#8. Industrial production managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $110,290
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,110
- Employment: 185,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Florence, SC ($158,000)
--- Boulder, CO ($149,990)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($149,500)
#7. Computer and information systems managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $112,160
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $156,390
- Employment: 433,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($215,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,960)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($196,290)
#6. Chemical engineers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $115,670
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $117,090
- Employment: 30,120
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($162,330)
--- Midland, TX ($152,170)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($150,680)
#5. Electronics engineers, except computer
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $117,060
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200
National
- Annual mean salary: $110,210
- Employment: 128,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,660)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($132,600)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($130,890)
#4. Natural sciences managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $124,690
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $145,450
- Employment: 67,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($222,530)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($208,910)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($206,710)
#3. Architectural and engineering managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $133,810
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $152,930
- Employment: 194,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($203,310)
--- Amarillo, TX ($198,010)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($188,210)
#2. Advertising and promotions managers
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $144,020
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $141,890
- Employment: 25,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($200,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,210)
#1. Chief executives
Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $172,420
- #183 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $193,850
- Employment: 205,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($270,040)
--- Sioux Falls, SD ($264,330)
--- Midland, TX ($258,760)
