Programmer.
Nashville.
$101,000
median salary, 2% above the national average
$73,000 to $132,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Programmer salary in Nashville is $101,000, 2% above the national average. Entry level starts near $73,000. Experienced professionals push past $132,000. Nashville has diversified well beyond music into healthcare, finance, and technology. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Programmer in Nashville, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $100,390 for Computer Programmers (SOC 15-1251) across the United States, based on 92,230 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$57,710
25th percentile
$75,850
Median
$100,390
75th percentile
$130,680
90th percentile
$160,460
Workers surveyed
92,230
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$98,670
May 2025 release
$100,390
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer Programmers (SOC 15-1251) rather than Programmer specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1251Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $91,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$66,000
to $81,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$86,000
to $106,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$111,000
to $131,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$126,000
to $157,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $30,000 to the total package.
Base
$101,000
Equity
$17,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $131,000
How Nashville compares.
Nashville, TN
$101,000
Cost of living: at average
National Average
$99,000
Nashville is $2,000 above
Programmer salary by city.
Salary by role in Nashville.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Programmer roles in Nashville, here is what you are walking into. Nashville has diversified well beyond music into healthcare, finance, and technology. The city is home to HCA Healthcare and a growing corridor of health tech startups. Nashville's moderate cost of living, combined with Tennessee's lack of state income tax on wages, makes it increasingly popular for corporate relocations and remote workers. Programmer compensation is driven by years of experience, specialization depth, and the industry domain. Base salary carries most of the total compensation, with bonuses adding roughly 8% in a typical year. Within tech-sector Programmers specifically, employer tier (FAANG and frontier-AI labs vs mid-stage startups vs traditional enterprise) drives 65%+ variance across the compensation band.
Programmers progress from entry to senior over 5 to 8 years, with lead and management levels requiring 10+ years and demonstrated cross-functional scope. In Nashville, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation for Programmers runs roughly $95K at median when factoring base + typical bonus (~8% of base). Base salary carries most of the compensation; benefits (healthcare, 401(k) match, PTO) add an estimated 15–25% in imputed value on top. At tech companies specifically, equity and sign-on are often the largest delta between offers — two roles with matching base can differ by $100K+ at total when equity is included. And on the tax side: tennessee has no state income tax on wages or salaries. This gives Nashville workers a meaningful take home advantage over peers in states with 5 to 10% income tax rates. When someone quotes you $101,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Use the healthcare industry concentration as leverage. Nashville healthcare employers are accustomed to national pay scales and will often match or beat coastal health sector offers. The range for Programmers in Nashville runs from $73,000 to $132,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Physical Therapist in Nashville earns $100,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Nashville is CTO at $306,000
Common questions.
Programmer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Nashville.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Programmer Salary in Nashville, TN." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/programmer/nashville
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