First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary in Knoxville, TN
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in the Knoxville, TN metro area earn a median $41,380 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,429 take-home, or $2,952 a month.
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- Federal income tax$2,786
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,566
- Medicare (1.45%)$600
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$35,429
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers pay by experience in Knoxville, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,210 | $14.52 | $26,454 | $2,204 |
| 25th percentile | $34,690 | $16.68 | $30,053 | $2,504 |
| Median (50th) | $41,380 | $19.89 | $35,429 | $2,952 |
| 75th percentile | $56,210 | $27.02 | $47,345 | $3,945 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,170 | $30.37 | $52,937 | $4,411 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $41,380 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 first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers's $35,429 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,273 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Knoxville, TN has 1.2× the national concentration of first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, adjusted for cost of living
Knoxville, TN ranks #16 of 92 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $61,610 | $51,684 | $46,506 |
| 2 | Bridgeport, CT | $58,260 | $47,295 | $44,257 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $52,540 | $42,957 | $41,809 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $55,520 | $44,688 | $40,470 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $52,520 | $42,777 | $40,439 |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $45,630 | $38,844 | $40,320 |
| 7 | Winston, NC | $44,620 | $36,761 | $39,938 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $47,280 | $38,792 | $39,849 |
| 16 | Knoxville, TN | $41,380 | $35,429 | $38,273 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 92 metros →
About the job: first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers salaries elsewhere in Tennessee
- Nashville, TN — $45,630
- Memphis, TN — $39,620
- Chattanooga, TN — $39,220
Frequently asked questions
How much does a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers make in Knoxville, TN?
The median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers salary in the Knoxville, TN metro area is $41,380 a year, or about $19.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,690 and $56,210.
What is a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers’s take-home pay in Knoxville, TN?
On the median $41,380 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $35,429 a year ($2,952 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Knoxville, TN a good place to work as a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $44,080. Local prices are 7.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,273 would in a typical U.S. city. Knoxville, TN ranks #16 of 92 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers 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) — 38% of a median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Knoxville, TN
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,520
- Food Preparation Worker — $30,960
- Waiter and Waitress — $28,100
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,720