SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + TN
COL Index: 112.89 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.7% Realized
$61,215 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $79,770 $38.35/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.26% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$13,769 $529.57/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $38.35 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,786/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,053/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,666
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,946
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,157
Tennessee Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$61,215 ($2,354.42 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Chattanooga, TN-GA Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $79,770
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $65.2k 25th $77.7k Median: $79,770 50th (Median) $79.8k 75th $93.7k 90th $103k You: $79,770
10th (Entry) $65,150 $31.32/hr
25th (Junior) $77,690 $37.35/hr
50th (Median) $79,770 $38.35/hr
75th (Senior) $93,710 $45.05/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $102,930 $49.49/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$56,833$27.32/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$72,778$34.99/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$85,862$41.28/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$105,079$50.52/hr · 7+ Years
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN-GA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
24% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,231/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,340/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.79/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Chattanooga, TN-GA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$79,770-$13,769$61,215$2,354.42
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$94,727-$18,006$71,037$2,732.20
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$109,684-$22,243$80,859$3,109.97
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$124,641-$26,481$90,682$3,487.75
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$139,598-$30,906$100,315$3,858.28
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Tennessee tax codes.

Market Baseline
$79,770/yr
$38.35/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
17.26% Effective
-$13,769 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
24% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,870/mo
Post-$1,231/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 29-1141
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Chattanooga, TN-GA report a median annual wage of $79,770, 18.2% below the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $65,150 to $102,930, and HUD’s $1,231 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 18.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+171.7%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+154.8%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+133.9%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+118.8%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+114.9%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+114.3%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+87.2%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+81.0%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+74.9%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+74.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$209,990$100.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,720$78.71/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$152,980$73.55/hr
Financial Manager$151,530$72.85/hr
Administrative Services Managers$130,540$62.76/hr
Human Resources Managers$129,900$62.45/hr
Marketing Managers$124,360$59.79/hr
Purchasing Managers$123,750$59.50/hr
Industrial Production Managers$121,670$58.50/hr
Physician Assistant$121,600$58.46/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 380 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA (2026) Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $79,770 a year ($38.35/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The median annual wage is $79,770 ($38.35 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $65,150 and $102,930. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Chattanooga, TN-GA after taxes?

On the median wage of $79,770, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $64,948 a year ($5,412 a month) after $14,822 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.58%, using 2026 tax rules.