2026 Salary — Tennessee
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in Tennessee: $135K Median
Security Engineers in Tennessee earn between $88K and $223K per year.
That's -5% below the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in Tennessee is $134,900 per year — -5% below the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $87,685 (entry, 25th percentile) to $222,585 (90th percentile). Tennessee's cost-of-living index is 92. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Median
$134,900
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$105,222
Experienced
$178,068
Top 10%
$222,585
About Security Engineers in Tennessee
Security engineers design and implement systems that protect organizations from cyber threats. They build secure infrastructure, perform threat modeling, and respond to incidents.
Hot 2026 Skills
zero-trustcloud security (AWS/GCP)threat modelingEDR/XDRKubernetes securityAI security
ATS Keywords
CISSPzero-trustthreat modelingEDRSIEMpenetration testingcloud securityIAMincident responseNIST
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in Tennessee
Walk-away anchor: $117,304.
Leverage Points
- Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
- Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
- Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
- Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems
Negotiate Beyond Base
Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years
Security Engineer Salary FAQ — Tennessee
What is the average Security Engineer salary in Tennessee?
The average Security Engineer salary in Tennessee is $134,900 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $87,685 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $222,585 (90th percentile). Tennessee has no state income tax — increasing take-home meaningfully.
How does Security Engineer pay in Tennessee compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in Tennessee earn approximately 5% less than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $134,900 in Tennessee). Tennessee's cost-of-living index of 92 amplifies the real purchasing power.
Did Security Engineer salaries in Tennessee increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in Tennessee grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $21,758 in 2025 to $134,900 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which Tennessee cities pay Security Engineers the most?
Top-paying Tennessee metros for Security Engineers: Nashville ($142K), Memphis ($125K). Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in Tennessee?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. Tennessee's top industries include Healthcare, Manufacturing (Auto, EV), Logistics (FedEx), and the state's unemployment rate is 3.6% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does Tennessee have state income tax?
No, Tennessee has no state income tax. This significantly boosts take-home pay vs comparable salaries in tax states like California or New York. At $134,900, you keep all of it (after federal + FICA).
What skills are most in demand for Security Engineers in 2026?
Hottest 2026 skills: zero-trust, cloud security (AWS/GCP), threat modeling, EDR/XDR, Kubernetes security, AI security. ATS systems specifically scan for these. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — improves your match rate with Tennessee employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in Tennessee?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Beyond base, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance. Walk-away anchor for Tennessee: $117,304.
Methodology
Tennessee Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by Tennessee's state multiplier (0.95×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
Security Engineer Salary in Other States
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