Tennessee (TN)
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H1BIndex State Grade
i
A
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
896
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$109,450
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$103,978
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.3%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of Tennessee's tech ecosystem.Overall Tennessee Rating
Federal records show 896 total work visa filings for Tennessee. When we look at local wages and job availability, the region gets an official H1B Index Rating of "A".
Active Recruiting
Transferring workers is a primary hiring strategy in this state. Rather than bringing in new arrivals, 52.3% of applications shifted existing visa holders to new Tennessee employers.
Real Cost of Living
A baseline salary of $109,450 is a strong starting point, but living here has distinct costs. After paying the 5.0% state tax and local living expenses, true spending power is closer to $103,978.
Reliable Visa Process
If you want a stable career path, Tennessee is a great option. Companies successfully get 99.3% of their work visas approved, alongside 212 active Green Card sponsorships.
Advanced Talent Hub
Tennessee functions as a top destination for senior professionals. Data shows 43.9% of all approved visas dedicate specifically to experienced roles rather than entry-level positions.
Main Employment Hub
If you are moving to Tennessee, Nashville is the most active city for securing a work visa. Overall, the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry provides the majority of these positions.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Clean Layoff Record
No Reported Layoffs: Every company applying for visas in Tennessee maintains a perfect record with 0% staff reductions.
Top Metro Hubs in Tennessee
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $109,450.Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (47.7%)Corporate Poaching (52.3%)
State Wage Premium
$14,338
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in Tennessee offer salaries that are $14,338 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Long-Term Gain: +55.9%. The average salary here is notably higher now than in 2016.
Pay Decrease: -$11,665. The 2026 starting wage for a Green Card is certified 10.9% lower than the standard temporary contract here.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 129 | 14.4% | $34,403 | $78,000 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 333 | 37.2% | $41,303 | $103,334 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 228 | 25.4% | $56,846 | $117,603 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 165 | 18.4% | $86,320 | $138,202 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 41 | 4.6% | $64,168 | $128,547 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | 27.1% (243 Filings) | $112,923 | 11.9% |
| Memphis, TN | 19.9% (178 Filings) | $100,440 | 24.7% |
| Franklin, TN | 8.1% (73 Filings) | $113,353 | 15.1% |
| Collierville, TN | 6.4% (57 Filings) | $110,003 | 12.3% |
| Knoxville, TN | 5.0% (45 Filings) | $91,768 | 22.2% |
| Oak Ridge, TN | 4.8% (43 Filings) | $121,608 | 2.3% |
| Brentwood, TN | 3.9% (35 Filings) | $104,998 | 31.4% |
| Chattanooga, TN | 2.7% (24 Filings) | $98,944 | 12.5% |
| Spring Hill, TN | 1.6% (14 Filings) | $106,700 | 42.9% |
| Mount Juliet, TN | 1.3% (12 Filings) | $139,086 | 16.7% |
| Mt. Juliet, TN | 1.3% (12 Filings) | $140,920 | 41.7% |
| Smyrna, TN | 1.2% (11 Filings) | $115,000 | 36.4% |
| Hermitage, TN | 1.1% (10 Filings) | $109,250 | 40.0% |
| Johnson City, TN | 1.0% (9 Filings) | $76,636 | 0.0% |
| Murfreesboro, TN | 1.0% (9 Filings) | $128,211 | 33.3% |
| Arlington, TN | 0.9% (8 Filings) | $105,706 | 50.0% |
| Clarksville, TN | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $75,000 | 14.3% |
| Antioch, TN | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $101,815 | 14.3% |
| Lebanon, TN | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $95,687 | 0.0% |
| Columbia, TN | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $140,000 | 20.0% |
| Gallatin, TN | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $118,227 | 60.0% |
| La Vergne, TN | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $94,000 | 0.0% |
| Jackson, TN | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $194,085 | 20.0% |
| Cordova, TN | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $121,746 | 20.0% |
| Thompsons Station, TN | 0.4% (4 Filings) | $96,106 | 25.0% |
| Apison, TN | 0.4% (4 Filings) | $120,252 | 0.0% |
| Nolensville, TN | 0.4% (4 Filings) | $158,356 | 0.0% |
| Mt Juliet, TN | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $139,200 | 33.3% |
| Ooltewah, TN | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $109,678 | 33.3% |
| Germantown, TN | 0.3% (3 Filings) | $157,000 | 0.0% |
| Sewanee, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $46,000 | 0.0% |
| Alcoa, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $100,000 | 0.0% |
| Alamo, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $128,210 | 50.0% |
| Byrdstown, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $102,500 | 50.0% |
| Portland, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $89,545 | 0.0% |
| Bristol, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $231,379 | 0.0% |
| Kingsport, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $144,861 | 0.0% |
| Cookeville, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $96,127 | 0.0% |
| Goodlettsville, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $87,994 | 0.0% |
| Springhill, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $123,262 | 0.0% |
| Sparta, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $114,878 | 0.0% |
| Arrington, TN | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $88,462 | 0.0% |
| 126 Joyner Court, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $107,432 | 0.0% |
| Cookville, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $149,074 | 100.0% |
| Athens, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $55,000 | 0.0% |
| Charleston, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $119,059 | 100.0% |
| Christiana, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $210,000 | 0.0% |
| College Grove, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $134,014 | 100.0% |
| Colliervielle, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $131,841 | 100.0% |
| Greeneville, TN | 0.1% (1 Filings) | $115,000 | 0.0% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.39.7%
14.3%
12.1%
7.7%
7.7%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-87.6% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in Tennessee.| Sponsoring Employer | Market Share | LCA Count | Median Salary | Vs State Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Jude Children'S Research Hospital | 5.6% | 50 | $82,160 | -24.9% Avg |
| Ut-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | 4.8% | 43 | $121,608 | +11.1% Avg |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 3.7% | 33 | $104,100 | -4.9% Avg |
| Federal Express Corporation | 2.8% | 25 | $116,106 | +6.1% Avg |
| Fedex Freight, Inc. | 2.5% | 22 | $113,017 | +3.3% Avg |
| Autozone, Inc. | 1.9% | 17 | $134,805 | +23.2% Avg |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | 1.9% | 17 | $86,479 | -21.0% Avg |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | 1.9% | 17 | $128,300 | +17.2% Avg |
| Wipro Limited | 1.8% | 16 | $105,045 | -4.0% Avg |
| The University Of Tennessee | 1.8% | 16 | $84,566 | -22.7% Avg |
| Vanderbilt University | 1.7% | 15 | $80,327 | -26.6% Avg |
| Mphasis Corporation | 1.6% | 14 | $102,100 | -6.7% Avg |
| Citiustech Inc. | 1.5% | 13 | $103,500 | -5.4% Avg |
| Hca Management Services Lp | 1.5% | 13 | $122,117 | +11.6% Avg |
| Oracle America, Inc. | 1.3% | 12 | $122,117 | +11.6% Avg |
| Ubs Business Solutions Us LLC | 1.2% | 11 | $119,000 | +8.7% Avg |
| Tractor Supply Company | 1.2% | 11 | $122,116 | +11.6% Avg |
| Deloitte Services Lp | 1.1% | 10 | $140,060 | +28.0% Avg |
| The University Of Tennessee Health Science Center | 1.1% | 10 | $58,323 | -46.7% Avg |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 1.1% | 10 | $181,967 | +66.3% Avg |
| Atos Syntel Inc. | 0.9% | 8 | $120,304 | +9.9% Avg |
| Cummins Filtration Inc. | 0.8% | 7 | $119,101 | +8.8% Avg |
| Accenture LLP | 0.8% | 7 | $109,600 | Market Rate |
| Hca Management Services, Lp | 0.8% | 7 | $122,117 | +11.6% Avg |
| Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare | 0.8% | 7 | $63,981 | -41.5% Avg |
| Cummins Inc. | 0.7% | 6 | $110,400 | Market Rate |
| Asurion, LLC | 0.7% | 6 | $154,181 | +40.9% Avg |
| Bluecross Blueshield Of Tennessee, Inc. | 0.7% | 6 | $116,411 | +6.4% Avg |
| International Paper | 0.6% | 5 | $145,751 | +33.2% Avg |
| Avant Healthcare Professionals, LLC | 0.6% | 5 | $73,403 | -32.9% Avg |
| Infosys Limited | 0.6% | 5 | $62,941 | -42.5% Avg |
| Davita, Inc. | 0.6% | 5 | $103,334 | -5.6% Avg |
| The University Of Memphis | 0.6% | 5 | $57,575 | -47.4% Avg |
| Alliancebernstein L.P. | 0.6% | 5 | $135,000 | +23.3% Avg |
| Slk America Inc. | 0.4% | 4 | $76,409 | -30.2% Avg |
| Stryker Corporation | 0.4% | 4 | $104,218 | -4.8% Avg |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 0.4% | 4 | $79,009 | -27.8% Avg |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 0.4% | 4 | $90,511 | -17.3% Avg |
| Cigna-Evernorth Services Inc. | 0.4% | 4 | $129,574 | +18.4% Avg |
| Hexaware Technologies, Inc. | 0.4% | 4 | $87,877 | -19.7% Avg |
Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | 38 | $103,334 | $76,109 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Engineer | 22 | $103,438 | $66,581 Range | +$9,713 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | 15 | $72,529 | $1 Range | +$19,260 Over Min |
| Assistant Professor | 14 | $92,248 | $211,415 Range | +$38,233 Over Min |
| Data Engineer | 7 | $98,805 | $40,469 Range | +$1,419 Over Min |
| Project Delivery Specialist | 7 | $103,334 | $61,210 Range | +$5,948 Over Min |
| Senior Software Engineer | 6 | $120,709 | $42,400 Range | +$4,294 Over Min |
| Scientist | 6 | $86,320 | Fixed Pay | +$22,693 Over Min |
| Program Manager Iii | 6 | $104,100 | $26,091 Range | +$8,191 Over Min |
| Data Analyst | 6 | $94,765 | $16,834 Range | +$3,983 Over Min |
| Clinical Nurse Iii | 5 | $73,403 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Full Stack Developer Iii | 5 | $109,924 | $11,366 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Associate Scientist | 5 | $65,520 | Fixed Pay | +$1,893 Over Min |
| Consulting Application Engineer | 5 | $122,117 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Sales Manager | 5 | $115,232 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Computer Systems Analyst | 4 | $78,042 | $20,509 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Manager | 4 | $158,580 | $137,695 Range | +$46,198 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Research Scholar | 4 | $66,508 | $20,880 Range | +$6,593 Over Min |
| Medical Laboratory Scientist Ii | 4 | $63,981 | Fixed Pay | +$1,622 Over Min |
| Hospitalist Physician | 4 | $245,690 | $43,621 Range | +$74,963 Over Min |
| Technical Lead L1 | 4 | $107,432 | $15,147 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Supply Chain Manager Iii | 4 | $124,500 | $41,100 Range | +$10,599 Over Min |
| It Project Manager | 4 | $96,100 | $25,126 Range | +$25,452 Over Min |
| Supply Chain Manager Ii | 4 | $77,200 | $44,354 Range | +$20,229 Over Min |
| Staff Scientist | 4 | $73,490 | $7,900 Range | +$7,586 Over Min |
| Software Engineer 3 | 4 | $159,181 | $10,000 Range | +$55,847 Over Min |
| Program Manager L1 | 4 | $119,534 | $43,227 Range | +$42,605 Over Min |
| Software Development Engineer Ii | 4 | $144,500 | $21,448 Range | +$41,166 Over Min |
| Senior Consultant | 3 | $109,845 | $7,717 Range | +$6,511 Over Min |
| Senior Data Engineer | 3 | $136,810 | $30,424 Range | +$14,693 Over Min |
| Full Stack Software Developer | 3 | $112,923 | $1,077 Range | +$9,589 Over Min |
| Senior Solution Specialist | 3 | $128,300 | $48,266 Range | +$24,966 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Iii | 3 | $102,375 | $16,382 Range | +$4,989 Over Min |
| Sr. Systems Engineer | 3 | $146,009 | $21,527 Range | +$11,204 Over Min |
| Techno Functional Consultant L3 | 3 | $105,146 | $9,346 Range | +$15,956 Over Min |
| Vice President, Marketing | 3 | $157,000 | Fixed Pay | +$82,245 Over Min |
| Associate Director, Ib Operations - Collateral Specialist | 3 | $95,000 | Fixed Pay | +$9,949 Over Min |
| Associate Director, Tech Support Specialist | 3 | $135,000 | $16,000 Range | +$12,883 Over Min |
| Post-Doctoral Research Associate | 3 | $70,656 | $34,132 Range | +$18,906 Over Min |
| Data Architect | 3 | $114,566 | $17,784 Range | Baseline Pay |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $400,000 | $106,665 | Balanced | $23.00/hr |
| 2025 | +6.4% | $400,000 | $98,862 | Balanced | $16.00/hr |
| 2024 | +3.2% | $400,000 | $92,900 | +6.5% Skew | $12.00/hr |
| 2023 | +3.1% | $400,000 | $90,000 | +5.7% Skew | $11.00/hr |
| 2022 | +4.5% | $375,000 | $87,254 | +5.6% Skew | $16.00/hr |
| 2021 | +4.1% | $400,000 | $83,470 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
| 2020 | +5.9% | $400,000 | $80,163 | Balanced | $11.00/hr |
| 2019 | +1.6% | $400,000 | $75,695 | Balanced | $13.00/hr |
| 2018 | +7.7% | $400,000 | $74,514 | Balanced | $10.00/hr |
| 2017 | +1.2% | $400,000 | $69,217 | +6.4% Skew | $1.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $400,000 | $68,411 | +6.2% Skew | $8.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding Tennessee.Do H-1B workers pay high taxes in Tennessee?
Local state income tax averages approximately 5.0%. An H-1B worker taking home $109,450 here will pay an estimated $5,472 to the state.
What is the highest-paying area for H-1B visas in Tennessee?
For candidates looking to maximize compensation, Nashville leads the state with a median salary of $112,923.
Do employers in Tennessee offer permanent residency?
During this cycle, employers in Tennessee filed 212 permanent Green Card applications, yielding a 23.7% retention rate.
What is the biggest hiring sector in Tennessee?
In this state, 39.7% of all active H-1B visas are driven directly by the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services sector.