Civil Engineer Salary in Tennessee (2026)
The average Civil Engineer in Tennessee earns around $88,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $70,738/year ($5,895/month).
Take-Home Pay Breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
Annual Take-Home Pay | $70,738 |
Monthly Take-Home Pay | $5,895 |
Biweekly Take-Home Pay | $2,721 |
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year | $34/hr |
Federal Tax | $10,530 |
State Tax | $0 |
FICA Taxes | $6,732 |
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary | 19.62% |
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Civil Engineer Salary Ranges in Tennessee
Not all Civil Engineers earn the same — not even close
TN civil engineering splits across five coherent tracks. Transportation (TDOT + Nashville WeGo + BNA + Memphis I-55 + I-40) carries the largest dollar pipeline. Healthcare facility engineering (HCA + Vanderbilt UMC + Methodist Le Bonheur) is the TN-distinctive specialty. Federal infrastructure (TVA hydropower + nuclear + transmission + ORNL classified-research) is the second specialty parallel. Karst geology (TN limestone bedrock sinkholes + caves) + New Madrid seismic (West TN especially Memphis) round out senior tiers. Smith Seckman Reid Nashville (~600 employees) is the largest TN-anchored healthcare engineering firm.
Chief Engineer / VP Engineering
$285,000–$485,000+
HDR / AECOM / Stantec / Jacobs / WSP / Smith Seckman Reid TN leadership · TDOT + TVA mega-program directors
Principal Engineer / Project Director
$165,000–$285,000
$50M-$500M+ project ownership · Oracle Cumberland / Nashville Yards / BNA Vision · HCA capital directors
Senior Engineer / Project Manager
$125,000–$195,000
10-15 yrs · PE plus 5+ yrs post-license · domain depth (transportation / structural / geotech / water)
Civil Engineer PE
$78,000–$115,000
TN PE license · 4-7 yrs · 4 yrs experience + NCEES PE exam · prevailing wage on public projects
Engineer-in-Training (EIT)
$58,000–$78,000
Entry · FE exam · NON-EXEMPT typical for first 2-3 years until PE supervision shift · OBBBA-eligible
Structural / Karst Specialist
$115,000–$215,000
Vanderbilt structural · Smith Seckman Reid · TN limestone karst-specialty sinkhole + seismic depth
Geotechnical Engineer (Karst + New Madrid)
$95,000–$185,000
TN karst + West TN New Madrid Seismic Zone specialty · sinkhole + liquefaction + foundation
Construction Inspector / Field Engineer
$58,000–$95,000
TDOT-certified + state prevailing wage on public works · NON-EXEMPT · OBBBA-eligible · field-OT typical
TVA / ORNL Federal-Cleared Engineer
$95,000–$175,000 + federal locality
TVA hydropower + nuclear + transmission · ORNL classified-research · clearance premium $15-30K
Healthcare Facility Engineer (HCA / Vanderbilt UMC)
$85,000–$155,000
HCA capital · Vanderbilt UMC · Methodist Le Bonheur · MEP-integrated · TJC compliance + 6 Faces of Care framework
Worth knowing: Karst geology is the TN civil engineering niche no neighboring state matches. Tennessee's limestone bedrock plateau (~70% of state) creates sinkhole risk + cave-formation challenges that drive specialized geotechnical practice. Nashville and Memphis sit on karst terrain — Nashville Yards $2.5B, Oracle Cumberland $1.2B, plus BNA airport expansion all required extensive karst-engineering studies for foundation work, stormwater management, plus sinkhole-mitigation design. Smith Seckman Reid Nashville (~600 employees), Wright Brothers Construction, plus HDR + AECOM + Stantec TN offices maintain dedicated karst-geotechnical practice groups. Senior karst specialty engineers clear $145-215K cash. New Madrid Seismic Zone risk in West TN (especially Memphis) drives parallel seismic specialty — 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes (magnitude 7.5-7.9) plus USGS modeled 7-10% probability of similar event in next 50 years sustain Memphis seismic-retrofit work.
Civil engineers, OBBBA OT, TN labor law, and the Nashville construction boom + TVA federal infrastructure cycle
$12,500
OBBBA OT deduction cap (single, 2025-2028) — applies to EIT + inspector + field engineer roles
0%
TN state income tax — OBBBA flows through cleanly; no state add-back
40/wk
TN OT trigger — federal FLSA 40/week (no state daily-OT rule like CA or CO)
~70%
TN area on karst limestone bedrock — sinkhole + seismic specialty depth no neighbor state matches
Civil engineering in TN splits -exempt and non-exempt by role tier. Licensed PEs running design + project management + senior consultancy are typically FLSA exempt under the Learned Professional exemption. Salaried with bonus.
EITs in first 2-4 years post-graduation, construction inspectors, plus field engineers on public works projects are typically NON-EXEMPT and -eligible. TDOT-certified inspectors + state prevailing wage on public works (TN Code Title 12 Chapter 4) drive substantial OT cash. OBBBA No-Tax-on-Overtime federal deduction (2025-2028) applies to qualifying -required OT premium — cap $12,500 single / $25,000 .
For an EIT at $32/hour running 50-hour weeks × 48 weeks during construction-busy season, OT totals ~480 hours/year at $48/hour. The premium portion (the 'half') is $7,680/year — under the $12,500 single cap. At the 22% federal bracket plus TN 0% income tax, that's roughly $1,690 federal savings/yr through 2028. Construction inspector at $38/hour with comparable hours saves $2,100+ via .
TN does NOT have a daily OT trigger (unlike CA's 8-hr or CO's 12-hr rules). Federal 40/week threshold applies. Tennessee prevailing wage on public works contracts (TN Code Title 12 Chapter 4) sets minimum wage and benefits for state-funded projects — typically 1.5× regular rate for OT plus apprentice ratios. TDOT, TVA, ORNL, plus federal facilities (Joint Base Lewis-McChord parallel facilities don't exist in TN — but Y-12 National Security Complex Oak Ridge does) all carry prevailing wage requirements.
phaseout starts at $150K single / $300K at $100 per $1,000, fully phased out at $275K / $550K. Most EITs and inspectors fall below the threshold and capture the full deduction. Senior PEs and project managers above the threshold lose the deduction entirely. TN's 0% state income tax means OBBBA flows through with no state add-back or pickup — mechanically cleaner than CA, NY, or other state-income-tax states.
Nashville construction boom drives the largest TN pipeline. Oracle Cumberland $1.2B (under construction through 2031), Nashville Yards $2.5B (Amazon HQ East + AllianceBernstein + hotel + residential), Music City Center, BNA Vision $1.4B airport. HCA's $1B+ annual capital across ~190 hospitals drives sustained healthcare-facility civil. TDOT I-440 reconstruction + I-65 South + I-40 cross-state add transportation depth.
TVA federal infrastructure is the TN-distinctive specialty no other state matches. TVA HQ Knoxville (federal corporation, $13B revenue) operates 29 hydroelectric dams + 3 nuclear plants (Sequoyah + Watts Bar + Browns Ferry) + 8 coal/natural gas plants + 1,500 miles of transmission + reservoir management across the seven-state TVA territory. Senior TVA civils clear $115-175K cash + FERS pension + . ORNL Oak Ridge ($2B/yr DOE) adds classified-research civil.
Tennessee as a civil engineer — Nashville construction boom, TVA Knoxville, karst + New Madrid seismic, HCA capital + Vanderbilt UMC facility
Nashville construction is the TN civil engineering pipeline of the decade. Oracle Cumberland $1.2B (highest-profile TN construction), Nashville Yards $2.5B mixed-use, Music City Center expansion, BNA Vision $1.4B. HCA's $1B+ annual capital across ~190 hospitals + ~50 surgery centers drives sustained healthcare-facility civil engineering through 2030+. Each major project supports 40-120 civil engineers across design, geotechnical, structural, and construction management.
Karst geology is the TN-distinctive niche. Limestone bedrock plateau across ~70% of the state creates sinkhole + cave-formation challenges requiring specialized geotechnical practice. Smith Seckman Reid Nashville (~600 employees), Wright Brothers Construction, plus HDR + AECOM + Stantec Nashville maintain dedicated karst-geotechnical practice groups. Nashville construction boom drives sustained karst-specialty hiring — Oracle Cumberland's foundation work alone required extensive sinkhole mitigation across the riverfront.
TVA federal infrastructure (Knoxville HQ, ~10K employees) operates 29 hydroelectric dams + 3 nuclear plants + 8 coal/natural gas + 1,500 miles transmission across the seven-state TVA territory. TVA engineering jobs combine federal pay scales + FERS pension + eligibility plus engineering specialty depth from operating one of the largest US public power utilities. Senior TVA civils clear $115-175K cash + benefits + clearance.
Memphis civil engineering carries Mississippi River + New Madrid Seismic Zone work. 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes (magnitude 7.5-7.9) drive sustained seismic-retrofit + new-construction seismic specialty. Memphis bridges (M-Bridge / Hernando de Soto / Tom Lee Park), Port of Memphis Mississippi River work, MSA seismic upgrades. Smaller bench than Nashville but distinct West TN specialty depth.
How TN taxes work for civil engineers — 0% income, OBBBA OT deduction flow-through, federal-AGI conformity
TN charges 0% state income tax — substantial advantage at every civil-engineering comp tier. At Senior PE $145K, TN saves ~$10,400 versus CA's 8.0% blended or NY's 7.5%. At Principal Engineer $225K, $16,500+ versus CA. EITs and inspectors at $65-85K save $4,500-6,500/yr. Over a 25-30 year career, the TN-vs-CA delta compounds to $300-500K+.
No-Tax-on-Overtime (2025-2028) flows through cleanly at TN's 0% state tax — the deduction applies only at federal level since TN has no state income tax to offset against. Non-exempt civils (EITs, inspectors, field engineers) capture the full $12,500 single / $25,000 cap if their qualifying OT premium meets the threshold. Mechanically cleaner than CA / NY / OR where OBBBA conformity must be tracked.
TN property tax ~0.71% effective — well below TX 1.6-2.5% peers. A senior PE at $145K cash owning a $550K Green Hills home pays ~$3,900/yr property tax versus $8,800-13,750 on Austin equivalent. The 'no state income tax' framing is genuinely favorable in TN versus TX — property tax doesn't offset the savings.
TN combined sales tax averages 9.55% (highest alongside LA) — regressive offset at EIT + inspector + new-PE tiers ($58-115K). At Senior PE + Principal levels small relative to comp. TN doesn't exempt groceries from sales tax (one of 13 states fully taxing food).
- →Capture employer match before anything else. HDR (4% match, profit-sharing typical), AECOM (50% match up to 8%), Stantec (50% on first 6%), Jacobs (varies by entity), Smith Seckman Reid (employee-owned firm — buy-in path to ownership). TVA + ORNL (FERS pension + match up to 5% — most generous federal option).
- →Max your ($24,500 in 2026). At TN 0% state plus federal 22-32% brackets, every $1,000 deferred saves $220-$320. EITs at the 12-22% bracket save $120-$220 — still worth maxing for compound growth at TN 0%.
- → at large-employer plans. §415(c) total cap $72,000 (2026). AECOM, Stantec, HDR, Jacobs all offer after-tax with in-plan Roth conversion. After $24,500 employee + match, $30-40K room remains. At TN 0% plus federal 32-35%, MBR converts $35K of after-tax space into perpetual Roth tax-free growth.
- →PE license is the single highest-ROI move in civil engineering. TN PE comp typically runs 25-40% above EIT at equivalent experience level. PE requires 4 years of qualifying experience under PE supervision plus passing the NCEES PE exam (8 hours, ~70% national pass rate). Most TN EITs sit for the PE exam between years 4-5.
- →TN karst-geology specialty premium: dedicated karst-geotechnical practice at Smith Seckman Reid + Wright Brothers + HDR Nashville commands 15-25% premium over generalist civil. The Nashville construction boom plus the parallel New Madrid seismic specialty in West TN make karst + seismic depth genuinely scarce talent.
- →TVA + ORNL federal-research path. Federal positions at TVA + ORNL combine FERS pension + locality + 4-day workweek + + clearance premium ($15-30K for TS/SCI). Senior TVA civils clear $115-175K cash + benefits — genuinely favorable for early-career civils carrying doctoral or master's debt.
- →Employee ownership at Smith Seckman Reid (employee-owned firm). ESOP + buy-in partnership tracks produce 6-7 figure liquidity events over 15-25 year careers — TN 0% income tax keeps the math favorable vs CA or NY peers.
Three TN metros for civil engineers — Nashville construction + healthcare, Memphis Mississippi River + seismic, Knoxville TVA + ORNL
TN civil-engineering splits by region + specialty. Nashville is TDOT + construction boom + HCA capital + karst-specialty. Memphis is Mississippi River + New Madrid seismic + bridges. Knoxville is TVA + ORNL + UT research.
Nashville (Construction Boom + HCA Capital + Karst Specialty)
EIT $58-78K · Civil PE $78-115K · Senior PE $115-175K · Principal $165-285K · Chief Engineer $285-485K+TN's civil-engineering core. Oracle Cumberland $1.2B + Nashville Yards $2.5B + BNA Vision $1.4B + Music City Center expansion drive sustained construction-PM demand. HCA Healthcare $1B+ annual capital across ~190 hospitals. Smith Seckman Reid Nashville (~600 employees, largest TN-anchored healthcare-engineering firm). HDR Nashville, AECOM Nashville, Stantec Nashville, Jacobs Nashville plus Wright Brothers Construction maintain dedicated Nashville offices.
Most Nashville civil engineers live in mid-priced suburbs — Brentwood ($750K-$2.5M family Sr PE / Principal), Franklin ($650K-$2.1M Sr PE family), Bellevue / Hermitage ($425-725K mid-career PE), Hendersonville ($475-825K family). Davidson County 0.71% property tax effective.
Memphis (Mississippi River + New Madrid Seismic + Bridges)
EIT $52-72K · Civil PE $78-105K · Senior PE $105-165K · Principal $145-235KTN's West TN civil-engineering corridor. Mississippi River infrastructure (M-Bridge / Hernando de Soto bridge + Port of Memphis). New Madrid Seismic Zone specialty (1811-1812 earthquakes drive sustained seismic-retrofit + new-construction work). Smith Seckman Reid Memphis office plus HDR + AECOM + Stantec Memphis. FedEx-driven logistics + airport civil engineering.
East Memphis ($425-825K SF mid-career), Germantown / Collierville ($550-1,150K family-stage senior), Midtown ($325-625K historic urban), Bartlett ($350-650K family). Shelby County 1.31% property tax — higher than Davidson.
Knoxville / Oak Ridge (TVA + ORNL + UT Research)
EIT $52-72K · Civil PE $78-115K · Senior PE $115-165K · TVA / ORNL cleared $115-175K + federal localityEast TN's federal-infrastructure + research civil-engineering corridor. TVA HQ Knoxville (federal corporation, ~10K employees, 29 hydroelectric dams + 3 nuclear plants + 8 coal/natural gas + 1,500 miles transmission). ORNL Oak Ridge ($2B/yr DOE research) + Y-12 National Security Complex Oak Ridge. UT Knoxville research. Federal-pension + clearance + eligibility genuinely favorable.
Sequoyah Hills / Westmoreland ($550-950K senior PE), West Knoxville ($385-725K family), Bearden ($325-625K established), Farragut ($425-725K Oak Ridge commute), Oak Ridge ($325-585K ORNL + Y-12 proximity). Knox County 0.85% property tax effective.
The TN civil engineer career arc — EIT through Chief Engineer or principal-firm partner
TN civil-engineering careers typically start with Vanderbilt School of Engineering, UT Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering (~400 BSCE/year), Tennessee Technological University Cookeville (~300 BSCE/year), Tennessee State University, or out-of-state programs (Georgia Tech, Auburn, Vanderbilt). EIT entry $58-78K cash at HDR / AECOM / Stantec / Jacobs / Smith Seckman Reid. FE exam typically passed senior year of college; first PE-supervised job sets the path.
PE-track (years 1-5): EIT $58-78K rising to $78-95K at PE eligibility (year 4). NCEES PE exam at year 4-5. Civil PE post-license $78-115K cash. Karst-geotechnical specialty (Smith Seckman Reid + Wright Brothers + HDR Nashville) adds 15-25% premium. West TN New Madrid seismic specialty (Memphis-anchored) parallel premium path. TVA + ORNL federal-cleared route adds clearance premium + FERS + .
Senior PE / Project Manager (years 7-15): comp $125-195K cash. PMP certification at this stage drives consulting-firm advancement. Discipline depth (transportation / structural / geotechnical / water / environmental + healthcare facility specialty) plus project-manager track adds responsibility. HDR + AECOM + Stantec + Jacobs senior engineers running $20M-$100M projects clear $165-225K. TVA senior + ORNL senior at this stage combine $145-185K + federal benefits + clearance + .
Principal / Chief Engineer (years 15+): Principal at HDR + AECOM + Stantec + Jacobs $185-285K cash. Chief Engineer / VP Engineering tier $285-485K. Senior partner at employee-owned firms (Smith Seckman Reid) routinely $285-485K + equity buy-in / ownership distributions. TVA + ORNL senior executive engineer $185-285K + federal benefits + clearance. TN's 0% income tax + 0.71% property tax + 0% municipal produce favorable senior-civil wealth accumulation vs CA / NY / OR peers.
Where TN civil engineers live — Brentwood, Franklin, East Memphis, Sequoyah Hills, Oak Ridge
TN civil engineers cluster by region + project type. Nashville civils at HDR / AECOM / Stantec head to Brentwood / Franklin (Senior PE / Principal), Bellevue / Hermitage (mid-career PE), Hendersonville (family). Memphis civils to Germantown / Collierville (senior), East Memphis (mid-career). Knoxville civils at TVA / ORNL to Sequoyah Hills (senior) or Farragut / Oak Ridge (federal-cleared commute).
Brentwood / Franklin (Williamson Co Nashville)
$750K-$2.5M family-stage Sr PE / Principal · top schools · 20-30 min downtown · Nashville construction boom proximity
Bellevue / Hermitage (Nashville mid-career)
$425-725K mid-career PE · 15-25 min downtown · solid family residential
Hendersonville / Mt Juliet (Nashville commute)
$475-825K family · 25-40 min downtown · top schools · Sumner / Wilson County
The Nations / 12 South (Nashville urban EIT)
Walkable · $550K-$1.4M townhomes · new-grad EIT + Sr PE walkable urban · WeGo bus
East Memphis (Memphis mid-career)
$425-825K SF · 10-15 min downtown · solid Sr PE + Principal residential
Germantown / Collierville (Memphis family senior)
$550-1,150K SF · top schools · 20-30 min downtown · Senior PE + Principal residential
Sequoyah Hills (Knoxville senior)
$550-950K SF · 5-10 min downtown · senior Knoxville civil + TVA residential
Farragut / Oak Ridge (TVA + ORNL cleared)
$325-725K SF · 5-15 min ORNL + Y-12 · federal-cleared engineer + locality premium
TN public transit is minimal — Nashville WeGo, Memphis MATA, Knoxville KAT serve downtown but most civil engineers commute via personal vehicle to construction sites + design offices. I-65 Nashville-Franklin and I-40 Nashville-Memphis are intercity arteries. Field-engineer + inspector commute is project-site-based plus often involves Forester / Tundra-style trucks for jobsite access.
Is this the right move?
TN for civil engineers — who it actually works for
Working in your favor
- +TN 0% state income tax saves $4,500-$25,000/yr depending on tier — substantial advantage over CA, NC, GA at every comp level
- +Nashville construction boom (Oracle Cumberland $1.2B + Nashville Yards $2.5B + BNA $1.4B + HCA $1B+ annual capital) + TDOT transportation pipeline provide multi-decade civil PE pipeline
- +TN karst geology specialty + New Madrid seismic specialty in West TN are TN-distinctive career tracks — Smith Seckman Reid Nashville (~600 employees) anchors employee-owned partnership path
- +TVA federal corporation + ORNL Oak Ridge classified-research + Y-12 National Security Complex provide federal-engineering career path with FERS pension + PSLF eligibility + clearance premium
- +OBBBA No-Tax-on-Overtime federal deduction flows through TN cleanly with no state add-back — EITs + inspectors + field engineers under $150K MAGI capture full $12,500 single / $25,000 MFJ cap
Worth knowing before you sign
- −TN does NOT have a daily OT trigger like CA (8 hrs) or CO (12 hrs) — federal FLSA 40/week governs, fewer OT-stacking opportunities than CA peers
- −Senior civil PE comp ceilings ($285K Senior PE / $485K Chief Engineer) trail major coastal specialty markets at the very top end
- −TN combined sales tax averages 9.55% (highest alongside LA) — regressive offset at EIT + new-PE tiers
- −Memphis civil engineering bench is smaller than Nashville — career-trajectory ceiling for senior Memphis civils trails Nashville HQ peers
- −TVA + ORNL clearance pursuit takes 12-24 months investigation — career pivot from corporate to federal-cleared work is slower than reverse direction
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