Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Office Manager Salary in Tennessee

The median dental office manager earns $107,120 a year in Tennessee ($51.50 an hour), with the middle half earning between $84,200 and $144,560.[1]

Updated October 2026 with BLS May 2025 wage data, the latest release.

25th percentile

$84,200

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$107,120

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$144,560

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $107,120 per year or $51.50/hr at the median. Tennessee runs about 14% lower than the national median.

The full pay range in Tennessee

BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental office managers in Tennessee earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Office Manager wages, Tennessee vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileTennessee hourlyTennessee annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$34.53$71,820$35.29$73,390
25th percentile$40.48$84,200$45.53$94,700
Median$51.50$107,120$59.55$123,860
75th percentile$69.50$144,560$79.85$166,100
90th percentile$97.14$202,060$107.86$224,340
Mean (average)$61.70$128,340$67.77$140,970

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages are gross pay for employees and exclude the self-employed. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work (hourly rate × 2,080 hours) where BLS reports hourly pay.

How many dental office managers work in Tennessee

Employed

14,160

About 2.4% of all U.S. dental office managers (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

4.32

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

1.12

1.00 = U.S. average; Tennessee is more concentrated than the national average

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.[2] A location quotient above 1 means the role makes up a bigger share of jobs here than nationally.

How Tennessee compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $107,120 in Tennessee vs. $123,860 nationally, $16,740 (14%) lower.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $71,820 vs. $73,390, 2% lower.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $202,060 vs. $224,340, 10% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 25.8% in Tennessee vs. 23.2% nationally.

DSO Hire calculation: (state figure minus U.S. figure) divided by the U.S. figure, from BLS OEWS May 2025[1] and Projections Central[3]. Not adjusted for cost of living.

Dental Office Manager pay by metro area in Tennessee

All 10 Tennessee metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]

Dental Office Manager pay by Tennessee metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin$116,480$85,630–$162,1605,510
Memphis$112,800$88,760–$155,9902,310
Clarksville$105,500$84,180–$131,270450
Johnson City$105,470$83,720–$148,320400
Knoxville$104,250$81,290–$138,6601,880
Chattanooga$102,920$82,990–$134,1701,150
Jackson$100,770$80,830–$125,020300
Kingsport-Bristol$99,370$81,010–$128,370440
Cleveland$94,780$78,040–$149,990160
Morristown$82,360$69,330–$116,010140

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Gross wages, not adjusted for cost of living. Metro areas cross state lines where noted in the name.

Job outlook for dental office managers in Tennessee

Tennessee's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 25.8% over 2024–2034, from 13,470 to 16,950 jobs, with about 1,400 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.

What drives dental office manager pay in Tennessee

Pay for a dental office manager depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.

Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.

For dental pros

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Browse open dental office manager roles in Tennessee, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Dental Office Manager salary in Tennessee: FAQ

How much do dental office managers make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage for dental office managers in Tennessee was $107,120 ($51.50 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $84,200 and $144,560. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $71,820 and the top 10% earned over $202,060.

Do dental office managers in Tennessee earn more than the national median?

No. The Tennessee median of $107,120 is lower than the U.S. median of $123,860. That is $16,740 (14%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

Which Tennessee metro area pays dental office managers the most?

Among the 10 Tennessee metro areas with published BLS data, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has the highest median at $116,480 a year. Morristown has the lowest, at $82,360.

How many dental office managers work in Tennessee?

BLS estimates 14,160 dental office managers were employed in Tennessee in May 2025. That is 4.32 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 1.12, meaning the role is more concentrated than the national average.

Is demand for dental office managers growing in Tennessee?

Tennessee's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 25.8% over 2024–2034, from 13,470 to 16,950 jobs. That works out to about 1,400 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

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