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What does a Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary really buy you in Tennessee?
Tennessee is 8.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Tennessee's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.8, meaning prices are 8.2% lower the national average. A Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earning $45,810 in Tennessee has the equivalent purchasing power of $49,901 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $29,660 | $32,309 | +$2,649 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $37,040 | $40,348 | +$3,308 |
| Median (P50) | $45,810 | $49,901 | +$4,091 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $54,000 | $58,823 | +$4,823 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $63,130 | $68,769 | +$5,639 |
A Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Tennessee earns $45,810 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $49,901 in an average-cost state. This makes Tennessee one of the best value states for this occupation.
Tennessee's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 91.8 means a basket of goods and services costs about 8.2% less than the national average. For a Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Tennessee's RPP, the $45,810 median salary translates to $49,902 in real terms — a 8.9% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, Tennessee places #12 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Tennessee ranks #12 out of 51 states for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive take-home pay in Tennessee after taxes →
A Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Tennessee earns a median salary of $45,810 per year. After adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (RPP=91.8), the real purchasing power is $49,901 — a +8.9% difference.
Tennessee's cost of living is 8.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Tennessee is 91.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Tennessee: $45,810 x (100 / 91.8) = $49,901. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Tennessee enjoys 8.9% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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