Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Information Security Analysts prevailing wage in Knoxville, TN
Short answer
For information security analysts in Knoxville, TN, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $32.53 an hour at Level 1 ($67,662 a year) to $64.16 an hour at Level 4 ($133,453 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $43.07 ranks 275 of 530 areas and matches the median area ($43.20).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $32.53 | $67,662 | $5,639 | $1,301 |
| Level 2 | $43.07 | $89,586 | $7,466 | $1,723 |
| Level 3 | $53.62 | $111,530 | $9,294 | $2,145 |
| Level 4 | $64.16 | $133,453 | $11,121 | $2,566 |
| Published average | $53.72 | $111,738 | $9,312 | $2,149 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$43.07/hr
Prevailing wage for information security analysts in Knoxville, TN
Cost with payroll costs
$46.36/hr
$43.07 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$54.55/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How Knoxville, TN compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for information security analysts has a median of $43.20 an hour. Knoxville, TN is at $43.07, which matches that median and ranks 275 of 530. Inside TN, it ranks 5 of 14 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 97% ($31.63 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $65,791 a year.
Other TN areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $37.08 | $46.96 | $66.72 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $35.29 | $44.82 | $63.89 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35.01 | $43.67 | $61.00 |
| Cleveland, TN | $33.96 | $43.27 | $61.90 |
| Morristown, TN | $31.31 | $41.97 | $63.29 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $31.87 | $41.83 | $61.75 |
Reading the four levels
In Knoxville, TN, moving a information security analysts role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $10.54 an hour (32%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $10.55 (24%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $10.54 (20%). The steps are fairly even, so the level filed moves the minimum pay by a similar amount at each rung. At Level 1 the minimum is $5,639 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $11,121.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $43.07
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose information security analysts Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $43.08 | +$0.01 |
| East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $43.09 | +$0.02 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $43.09 | +$0.02 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $43.11 | +$0.04 |
| Jackson, MI | $43.03 | -$0.04 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43.02 | -$0.05 |
TN and this occupation
TN has 14 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for information security analysts is $41.82 an hour, and Knoxville, TN is at or above it. The highest area in TN is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN at $46.96, and the lowest is North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area at $36.80.
Among IT occupations here
In Knoxville, TN, information security analysts ranks 5 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is computer network architects at $47.89 an hour and the lowest is web and digital interface designers at $21.79.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $89,586 a year, or $7,466 a month gross, for work in Knoxville, TN.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $43.07 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in Knoxville, TN
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $24.83 | $32.16 | $46.82 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $36.40 | $43.09 | $56.48 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $24.53 | $30.42 | $42.21 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $19.31 | $23.13 | $30.76 |
| Computer Network Architects | $40.48 | $47.89 | $62.72 |
| Database Administrators | $24.65 | $34.92 | $55.45 |
| Database Architects | $33.09 | $43.27 | $63.63 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $29.11 | $36.01 | $49.82 |
| Computer Programmers | $26.87 | $32.37 | $43.37 |
| Software Developers | $37.56 | $46.77 | $65.18 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $24.92 | $30.66 | $42.13 |
| Web Developers | $21.87 | $28.71 | $42.38 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $16.56 | $21.79 | $32.24 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $20.60 | $27.60 | $41.59 |
| Data Scientists | $34.12 | $41.00 | $54.76 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for information security analysts in Knoxville, TN?
$32.53, $43.07, $53.62 and $64.16 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $53.72, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Knoxville, TN?
$31.63 more an hour, or $65,791 more a year (97% above Level 1).
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