Rankings · Tennessee
Highest paying school districts in Tennessee
Ranked from the districts' own published salary schedules, not from survey averages or self-reported figures. Every row links to that district's full step-and-lane grid and the document it was read from.
- The highest starting bachelor's salary among the 11 indexed Tennessee district schedules is Williamson County Schools at $60,379 (2026-27).
- The highest single cell on any indexed Tennessee grid is Rutherford County Schools at $97,748.68.
- This ranks the 11 Tennessee districts whose published schedule is indexed here, out of 140 districts in the state. A district that is not indexed is not ranked.
Highest starting salary on the bachelor's column
| District | Year | Starting | Column | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Williamson County Schools | 2026-27 | $60,379 | BS | 41,909 |
| 2. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools | 2026-27 | $54,521.41 | Bachelors | 80,468 |
| 3. Bristol Tennessee City Schools | 2026-27 | $53,251 | Bachelor's | 4,082 |
| 4. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System | 2026-27 | $51,000 | BA | 39,345 |
| 5. Rutherford County Schools | 2026-27 | $50,556.10 | BA | 51,595 |
| 6. Warren County Schools | 2025-26 | $50,500 | BS | 6,447 |
| 7. Monroe County Schools | 2026-27 | $50,009 | Bachelor's | 5,011 |
| 8. Hamilton County Schools | 2026-27 | $50,003.78 | Bachelors | 45,790 |
Highest cell anywhere on the schedule
The top of a schedule is normally the most senior step of the highest education column, so this is what a long-serving teacher with the most credits can reach, not a typical salary.
| District | Year | Top cell | Column | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rutherford County Schools | 2026-27 | $97,748.68 | DR | 51,595 |
| 2. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools | 2026-27 | $96,980.83 | Doctorate | 80,468 |
| 3. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System | 2026-27 | $96,165 | Adv Degree | 39,345 |
| 4. Williamson County Schools | 2026-27 | $93,510 | PHD/EDD | 41,909 |
| 5. Hamilton County Schools | 2026-27 | $92,605.73 | Ed.D./PhD | 45,790 |
| 6. Bristol Tennessee City Schools | 2026-27 | $91,563 | Ed.D. | 4,082 |
| 7. Memphis-Shelby County Schools | 2026-27 | $90,575.04 | DOCT 10M | 110,057 |
| 8. Monroe County Schools | 2026-27 | $83,404 | Doctorate | 5,011 |
| 9. Knox County Schools | 2026-27 | $81,543.23 | CERT2 | 60,604 |
| 10. Washington County Schools | 2025-26 | $80,948 | ED D | 8,103 |
| 11. Warren County Schools | 2025-26 | $75,900 | DR | 6,447 |
Coverage grows as more Tennessee schedules are parsed. See all 140 Tennessee districts, or the national rankings.