Highest Paying Jobs In Chattanooga, TN For 2026
As of 2026, the highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga span various thriving industries, including healthcare, technology, and finance. If you’re seeking a lucrative career in the Chattanooga area, this guide will help you pinpoint the most rewarding professions currently available.
We present the 17 highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga for 2026, drawing on the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While many of these high-paying positions necessitate considerable experience, there are also well-compensated entry-level opportunities for candidates with the right educational credentials.
The top-paying job in Chattanooga remains Physician, boasting an impressive average annual salary of $301,380 and an entry-level salary of $154,000.
Whether you’re contemplating a career transition, considering relocating to Chattanooga, or a recent graduate planning your future, this guide to the highest-paying jobs and top industries in Chattanooga will assist you in making informed decisions about your next career move.
Here’s a quick overview of the top 10 highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga, Tennessee:
Detailed List of Highest Paying Jobs in Chattanooga
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary | Entry Level Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physician | $301,380 | $154,000 |
| 2 | Cardiologist | $293,689 | $151,000 |
| 3 | Hospitalist Physician | $262,397 | $183,000 |
| 4 | Operator And Truck Driver | $248,516 | $125,000 |
| 5 | Hospitalist | $227,568 | $149,000 |
| 6 | Internist | $216,672 | $115,000 |
| 7 | Neurologist | $207,569 | $118,000 |
| 8 | Endocrinologist | $204,288 | $125,000 |
| 9 | Outpatient Psychiatrist | $194,180 | $120,000 |
| 10 | Pediatrician | $191,181 | $122,000 |
| 11 | Driver/Owner Operator | $181,596 | $72,000 |
| 12 | Loan Servicing Specialist | $174,780 | $45,000 |
| 13 | Pediatric Physician Assistant | $161,725 | $93,000 |
| 14 | Owner/Operator | $159,885 | $100,000 |
| 15 | Senior Vice President | $143,274 | $85,000 |
| 16 | General Dentist | $137,104 | $91,000 |
| 17 | Senior Director | $134,469 | $94,000 |
How We Determined the Highest Paid Jobs in Chattanooga for 2026
To identify the highest-paying jobs in Chattanooga, we examined the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and additional reputable sources.
Zippia’s data science team enhances this data by continuously analyzing millions of job postings each day to extract and verify published salaries. We correlate these salaries with information from various datasets, including companies, locations, and job titles.
Ultimately, we compute a weighted average of these inputs to derive an estimated salary for specific job titles in Chattanooga.
In total, our team reviewed salary data for over 1,000 job titles in Chattanooga to uncover the most lucrative roles.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated for 2026. This marks our eighth edition ranking the highest paying jobs in Chattanooga.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
