How Much Does an LPN Make in Knoxville, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in Knoxville, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Knoxville metro area
A typical LPN in Knoxville, Tennessee earns $27.86 per hour, or $57,960 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,830 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,400, and the top 10% of earners make over $64,500.
That pay is 2% below the Tennessee figure of $58,870 and 10% below the national figure of $64,400. Knoxville ranks 5th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for LPN pay. About 2,650 LPNs work in the Knoxville area.
LPN pay in Knoxville at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.86 an hour, or $57,960 a year.
- That is 2% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,400; the top 10% make over $64,500.
- Typical pay rose +58% from 2015 to 2025, against +61% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Knoxville?
Pay in Knoxville runs from entry-level positions at around $18.46 an hour to more than $31.01 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Knoxville
| Career stage | Knoxville | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,400$18.46 an hour | $41,110$19.76 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $49,160$23.64 an hour | $49,170$23.64 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $57,960$27.86 an hour | $58,870$28.31 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $61,460$29.55 an hour | $62,650$30.12 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $64,500$31.01 an hour | $67,540$32.47 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Knoxville area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Knoxville
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Knoxville area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Knoxville was $36,580 a year. By 2025 it had reached $57,960, a change of +58%, compared with +61% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Knoxville compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays LPNs the most in Tennessee at $61,940 a year, $3,980 more than Knoxville. The lowest-paying area in the state is Jackson at $50,670.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Knoxville | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $61,940 | $29.78 | +7% | 5,650 |
| 2 | Memphis | $59,140 | $28.43 | +2% | 2,980 |
| 3 | Chattanooga | $58,580 | $28.16 | +1% | 1,560 |
| 4 | Clarksville | $58,260 | $28.01 | +1% | 630 |
| 5 | Knoxville | $57,960 | $27.86 | this city | 2,650 |
| 6 | Morristown | $55,140 | $26.51 | -5% | 260 |
| 7 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $54,050 | $25.99 | -7% | 800 |
| 8 | Cleveland | $52,350 | $25.17 | -10% | 270 |
| 9 | Johnson City | $51,480 | $24.75 | -11% | 820 |
| 10 | Jackson | $50,670 | $24.36 | -13% | 810 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $58,870
Is Knoxville a good place to work as an LPN?
LPNs in Knoxville earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $57,960 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Knoxville area, about 6.2 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. That makes the local economy more reliant on LPNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in Knoxville, TN?
- A typical LPN in Knoxville earns $57,960 a year, or $27.86 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,400 and the top 10% earn over $64,500.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Knoxville?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Knoxville is $27.86. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.46, and the top 10% earn over $31.01 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Knoxville?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Knoxville typically offer around $18.46 an hour, or $38,400 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Knoxville higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Knoxville pay is 2% below the Tennessee figure of $58,870 a year, ranking 5th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $61,940.