Women in Tennessee: Pay, Representation, and Firsts
Everything the data says about women in Tennessee — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.
Where Tennessee sits
Women in Tennessee earn 81.6 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 18.4%. That puts Tennessee #25 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity. The women-in-legislature figure of 16.7% ranks Tennessee #47 nationally — below 20%, among the lowest.
Notable firsts & figures
Marsha Blackburn (Senate 2019-present) — first woman US Senator. Tennessee was the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment (August 18, 1920), providing the final vote needed.
- First woman US Senator: 2019
- No woman yet elected governor of Tennessee.
- Largest city: Nashville
Professions in Tennessee
State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in Tennessee. Each page combines national BLS medians with Tennessee’s Census ACS wage environment.
Fields in Tennessee
Related national data
Frequently asked
What is the gender pay gap in Tennessee?
Women in Tennessee earn 81.6% of what men earn — a gap of 18.4%. Census ACS S2001 data.
How many women are in Tennessee’s state legislature?
16.7% of Tennessee state legislators are women — rank #47 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).
Has Tennessee elected a woman governor?
No — Tennessee has never elected a woman governor.
Has Tennessee elected a woman US Senator?
Yes — the first woman US Senator from Tennessee took office in 2019.
How many women does Tennessee send to Congress?
2 women from Tennessee serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).