Baker Salary in Knoxville, TN
Bakers in the Knoxville, TN metro area earn a median $31,890 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $27,804 take-home, or $2,317 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median baker salary in Knoxville, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,647
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,977
- Medicare (1.45%)$462
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$27,804
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Baker pay by experience in Knoxville, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,380 | $10.76 | $20,040 | $1,670 |
| 25th percentile | $22,590 | $10.86 | $20,213 | $1,684 |
| Median (50th) | $31,890 | $15.33 | $27,804 | $2,317 |
| 75th percentile | $38,420 | $18.47 | $33,050 | $2,754 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,800 | $21.54 | $38,177 | $3,181 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,890 buys in Knoxville, TN
Prices in Knoxville, TN are 7.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 17% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median baker's $27,804 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,036 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Baker jobs are about as common in Knoxville, TN as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.95).
Best-paying cities for bakers, adjusted for cost of living
Knoxville, TN ranks #74 of 98 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chattanooga, TN | $40,880 | $35,027 | $38,296 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $48,180 | $40,893 | $36,796 |
| 3 | Spokane, WA | $42,770 | $36,546 | $36,420 |
| 4 | Bakersfield, CA | $42,470 | $35,064 | $34,756 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $37,680 | $31,676 | $34,543 |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $43,760 | $36,033 | $34,288 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $47,150 | $37,986 | $34,234 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $39,890 | $34,232 | $34,158 |
| 74 | Knoxville, TN | $31,890 | $27,804 | $30,036 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 98 metros →
Baker salaries elsewhere in Tennessee
- Chattanooga, TN — $40,880
- Memphis, TN — $33,400
- Nashville, TN — $34,920
Frequently asked questions
How much does a baker make in Knoxville, TN?
The median baker salary in the Knoxville, TN metro area is $31,890 a year, or about $15.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,590 and $38,420.
What is a baker’s take-home pay in Knoxville, TN?
On the median $31,890 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $27,804 a year ($2,317 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Knoxville, TN a good place to work as a baker?
Pay here is 14% below the national median of $37,160. Local prices are 7.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,036 would in a typical U.S. city. Knoxville, TN ranks #74 of 98 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a baker afford rent in Knoxville, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Knoxville, TN is $1,126 a month ($1,401 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median baker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Knoxville, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $64,300
- Tool and Die Maker — $63,180
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $59,120
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $51,170
- Machinist — $49,900
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $48,040
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $46,920
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $46,130
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $45,450
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $45,420
- Helpers--Production Worker — $41,330
- Production Workers, All Other — $39,560