Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Tennessee
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Tennessee. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Tennessee
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in Tennessee — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $23.00 | $34.54 | $48.75 | 16,780 |
| Carpenters | $17.30 | $23.81 | $31.16 | 8,680 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $17.40 | $22.34 | $28.66 | 3,910 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $17.42 | $22.11 | $30.43 | 930 |
| Tile & stone setters | $14.75 | $20.00 | $28.26 | 450 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $15.42 | $19.88 | $26.08 | 340 |
| Floor sanders & finishers | $16.54 | $24.19 | $26.04 | 220 |
| Carpet installers | $17.73 | $25.38 | $27.26 | 60 |
| Painters | $14.80 | $19.57 | $28.73 | 3,630 |
| Glaziers | $14.41 | $21.93 | $26.89 | 1,070 |
| Insulation workers | $14.67 | $21.72 | $29.99 | 1,460 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $21.28 | $30.50 | $35.76 | 1,080 |
| Roofers | $15.08 | $21.53 | $29.17 | 2,340 |
| Electricians | $18.44 | $28.46 | $38.85 | 19,500 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $18.31 | $27.76 | $39.22 | 8,810 |
| HVAC technicians | $18.32 | $24.75 | $36.83 | 10,510 |
| Equipment operators | $18.28 | $23.59 | $32.62 | 10,190 |
| Construction laborers | $16.22 | $21.23 | $28.74 | 25,390 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Tennessee's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$19.78 in 2019 → $23.81 in 2024
$23.78 in 2019 → $28.46 in 2024
$23.07 in 2019 → $27.76 in 2024
$15.50 in 2019 → $21.23 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Tennessee's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$34.54/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
25,390 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Carpet installers
+$2.65/hr vs $22.73
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Carpet installers
+ 66% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Pending wage detail pages for review
These generated detail pages are noindex and excluded from sitemap until the YMYL data audit approves them.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Tennessee
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Tennessee's contractor licensing board.