How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Knoxville, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers 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 Sonographer in Knoxville, Tennessee earns $38.15 per hour, or $79,360 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,613 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,810, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,630.
That pay is 2% below the Tennessee figure of $80,640 and 18% below the national figure of $96,590. Knoxville ranks 4th of 7 metro areas in Tennessee for Sonographer pay. About 280 Sonographers work in the Knoxville area.
Sonographer pay in Knoxville at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.15 an hour, or $79,360 a year.
- That is 2% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,810; the top 10% make over $97,630.
- Typical pay rose +36% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Knoxville?
Pay in Knoxville runs from entry-level positions at around $22.51 an hour to more than $46.94 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Knoxville
| Career stage | Knoxville | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $46,810$22.51 an hour | $62,220$29.91 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $65,330$31.41 an hour | $72,320$34.77 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $79,360$38.15 an hour | $80,640$38.77 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $86,690$41.68 an hour | $94,390$45.38 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,630$46.94 an hour | $101,830$48.96 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Knoxville area as BLS defines it
Sonographer pay growth in Knoxville
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in the Knoxville area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Sonographer pay in Knoxville was $58,240 a year. By 2025 it had reached $79,360, a change of +36%, compared with +36% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Knoxville compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Sonographers the most in Tennessee at $89,710 a year, $10,350 more than Knoxville. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kingsport at $75,440.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Knoxville | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $89,710 | $43.13 | +13% | 500 |
| 2 | Memphis | $82,930 | $39.87 | +4% | 390 |
| 3 | Jackson | $82,000 | $39.42 | +3% | 90 |
| 4 | Knoxville | $79,360 | $38.15 | this city | 280 |
| 5 | Johnson City | $78,970 | $37.97 | 0% | 90 |
| 6 | Chattanooga | $78,670 | $37.82 | -1% | 190 |
| 7 | Bristol metro incl. Kingsport | $75,440 | $36.27 | -5% | 110 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $80,640
Is Knoxville a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Knoxville earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $79,360 a year, 18% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Knoxville area, about 0.7 are Sonographer positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.6. That makes the local economy more reliant on Sonographers than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Sonographer make in Knoxville, TN?
- A typical Sonographer in Knoxville earns $79,360 a year, or $38.15 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $46,810 and the top 10% earn over $97,630.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Knoxville?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Knoxville is $38.15. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.51, and the top 10% earn over $46.94 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Knoxville?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Knoxville typically offer around $22.51 an hour, or $46,810 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Knoxville higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Knoxville pay is 2% below the Tennessee figure of $80,640 a year, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $89,710.