CEO.
Nashville.
$270,000
median salary, 2% below the national average
$196,000 to $372,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates CEO pay in Nashville at $270,000, within a range of $196,000 to $372,000. That is 2% below the national average. Nashville has diversified well beyond music into healthcare, finance, and technology. 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 CEO in Nashville, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $218,190 for Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, based on 1,730 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$83,260
25th percentile
$132,960
Median
$218,190
75th percentile
$330,300
90th percentile
$487,440
Workers surveyed
1,730
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011) rather than CEO specifically. The Nashvillerange 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 11-1011Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $243,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$176,000
to $216,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$230,000
to $284,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$297,000
to $351,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$338,000
to $419,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $67,000 to the total package.
Base
$270,000
Equity
$38,000
Bonus
$24,000
Signing
$5,000
Estimated total: $337,000
How Nashville compares.
Nashville, TN
$270,000
Cost of living: at average
National Average
$275,000
Nashville is $5,000 below
CEO salary by city.
Salary by role in Nashville.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for CEO 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. Company stage, revenue scale, and industry sector are the primary salary determinants. Public company CEOs and those at venture-backed late-stage startups command the highest base salaries. Geographic market and board composition also influence base pay, with coastal tech hubs offering the strongest packages.
VP-level leaders earn $180,000 to $250,000 before moving into C-suite. First-time CEOs at early-stage startups may take $120,000 to $200,000 with heavy equity. CEOs at mid-market companies earn $275,000 to $500,000. Large enterprise CEOs exceed $500,000 in base alone. 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. Base salary often represents just 15 to 30% of total CEO compensation. Equity grants, performance bonuses tied to revenue or EBITDA targets, and long-term incentive plans can bring total compensation to $1 million to $10 million or more at scale companies. 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 $270,000, 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 CEOs in Nashville runs from $196,000 to $372,000. 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 General Counsel in Nashville earns $286,000 (6% more)
- The highest-paying role in Nashville is CTO at $306,000
Common questions.
CEO salary in other cities.
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