Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Knoxville, TN

Based on 53 certified H-1B filings in the Knoxville, TN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Ridge, Farragut.

Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher

Median salary$136,068
Middle 50%$120.6k–$149k
vs. national median−27%comparison median $185,536
Filings53FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $81,701 and $193,249.
PercentileSalary
10th$91,837
25th$120,576
50th (median)$136,068
75th$148,954
90th$163,692

Salary by year

Median salary

$100k $125k $150k FY2020: median $112,562 (21 filings) FY2021: median $116,208 (23 filings) FY2022: median $115,628 (48 filings) FY2023: median $124,521 (25 filings) FY2024: median $120,495 (25 filings) FY2025: median $128,657 (38 filings) FY2026: median $140,196 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 21 filings FY20 FY2021: 23 filings FY21 FY2022: 48 filings FY22 FY2023: 25 filings FY23 FY2024: 25 filings FY24 FY2025: 38 filings FY25 FY2026: 15 filings FY26 48
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$112,562$108,000$122,38421
FY2021$116,208$108,425$136,27023
FY2022$115,628$93,915$122,68548
FY2023$124,521$116,526$129,00025
FY2024$120,495$90,564$140,28325
FY2025$128,657$98,556$151,23638
FY2026$140,196$131,874$145,67715

Cost of living

Knoxville's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $136,068 is worth about $147,000 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Knoxville = 92.6).

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Ut-Battelle, Llc (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)$136,76150
The University Of Tennesseetoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I – 0
Mid-level · Level II $135,945 46
Senior · Level III too few 4
Expert · Level IV – 0

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Mid-level · Level II$77,667$135,94546

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.