Tennessee does not have a minimum wage, so jobs in the state default to the federal requirement of $7.25 an hour,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
A minimum wage job in Nashville pays $15,080 per year, based on a 40-hour work week. This amount falls below what many consider to be a living wage, or the amount needed for a person to be self-supporting.
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A single adult must earn $11.04 an hour to be self-supporting in Nashville,
according to a report from the Massachusetts of Technology. A family of four must earn $23.67 an hour to be self-supporting. Annually, the living wage in the city amounts to $22,963 for a single adult and $49,234 for the family of four.
A single adult earning minimum wage makes about two-thirds of the living wage in Nashville. At minimum wage, an adult working to support a family of four is making less than one-third of the living wage.
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Although Nashville has its share of minimum wage jobs, many occupations that usually fall in the minimum-wage category have a higher pay rate. There are employers who strive to pay more than minimum wage to get a better quality workforce. Jobs in food preparation average about $8.45 an hour in Nashville,
according to FindTheBest.com. Substitute teacher jobs average about $8.50 an hour, and cashiers’ pay comes in at about $9.28 an hour in Nashville.
A person earning a living wage for the family in Nashville might be employed as a plumber, who can earn about $49,050 a year. Cardiovascular technicians earn an average of about $49,100 a year. A member of the clergy in Nashville earns an average of $47,540. If you are employed as a claims adjuster you can expect to earn about $49,950.
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