Skilled Wages

Lineman salary in Tennessee

Median $40.22 an hour for 3,900 electrical power-line installers and repairers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$40.22/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$83,660/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$28.00 – $50.4810th to 90th percentilehourly range
3,900Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Lineman pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$40$60$80/hrTennessee: 10th $28.00 · 25th $31.82 · median $40.22 · 75th $46.63 · 90th $50.48Tennessee$40.22$28.00$50.48United States: 10th $24.74 · 25th $32.34 · median $45.83 · 75th $52.76 · 90th $61.87United States$45.83
Hourly wage percentiles for electrical power-line installers and repairers: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 38th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 37th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $43.76). 3,900 electrical power-line installers and repairers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$28.00 – $31.82$58,240 – $66,190roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$31.82 – $46.63$66,190 – $96,980the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$46.63 – $50.48$96,980 – $105,000the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Lineman pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrKnoxville: $47.97Knoxville$47.97Memphis: $46.71Memphis$46.71Johnson City: $46.41Johnson City$46.41Cleveland: $45.15Cleveland$45.15Morristown: $44.35Morristown$44.35Clarksville: $40.27Clarksville$40.27Nashville: $40.02Nashville$40.02Jackson: $38.92Jackson$38.92Kingsport: $37.91Kingsport$37.91Chattanooga: $37.61Chattanooga$37.61
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Knoxville$28.21$47.97$50.7944019% above
Memphis$29.66$46.71$56.1434016% above
Johnson City$27.41$46.41$46.414015% above
Cleveland$26.21$45.15$48.326012% above
Morristown$28.25$44.35$48.235010% above
Clarksville$23.74$40.27$48.18140about the same as
Nashville$24.49$40.02$49.711,260about the same as
Jackson$25.95$38.92$48.261103% below
Kingsport$26.98$37.91$48.511106% below
Chattanooga$28.36$37.61$47.505506% below

Lineman wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$45.83United States$40.22Tennessee
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$18.81$36.35$20.971,540
2000$18.85$35.24$22.011,440
2001$19.39$35.25$22.701,710
2002$19.66$35.18$23.331,810
2003$19.66$34.40$23.542,030
2004$20.94$35.69$23.612,340
2005$23.07$38.03$24.112,320
2006$23.80$38.01$24.412,500
2007$24.47$37.99$25.273,100
2008$26.58$39.75$26.493,790
2009$26.71$40.08$27.244,360
2010$27.15$40.08$27.904,170
2011$27.33$39.12$28.943,890
2012$29.03$40.71$30.413,390
2013$30.14$41.65$30.853,330
2014$32.18$43.76$31.703,500
2015$32.84$44.61$31.953,510
2016$33.47$44.90$32.703,640
2017$33.04$43.40$33.362,890
2018$33.12$42.46$34.092,340
2019$34.12$42.97$34.862,240
2020$35.62$44.31$36.072,540
2021$36.41$43.26$37.653,360
2022$36.97$40.67$39.593,610
2023$38.02$40.17$41.073,400
2024$38.54$39.55$44.504,020
2025$40.22$40.22$45.833,900

In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Tennessee changed by -9.8% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Lineman pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do linemans make in Tennessee?

The median lineman in Tennessee earned $40.22 an hour ($83,660 a year) in May 2025, 12% below the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $31.82–$46.63; the top 10% earn more than $50.48.

Where does Tennessee rank for lineman pay?

Tennessee ranks 38th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $40.22 an hour, and 37th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union lineman rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Tennessee counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many linemans work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 3,900 electrical power-line installers and repairers in Tennessee in May 2025, 1.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.41; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tennessee and metro areas, SOC 49-9051.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.