Chief Data & AI Officer.
Knoxville.
$252,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$188,000 to $329,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Chief Data & AI Officer in Knoxville earns a median of $252,000 in 2026. That is 15% below the national average. The range runs from $188,000 to $329,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $227,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$164,000
to $202,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$214,000
to $265,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$277,000
to $328,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$315,000
to $391,000
Salary trend
+5% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $168,000 to the total package.
Base
$252,000
Equity
$91,000
Bonus
$57,000
Signing
$20,000
Estimated total: $420,000
How Knoxville compares
Knoxville, TN
$252,000
Cost of living: 11% below average
National Average
$295,000
Knoxville is $43,000 below
Chief Data & AI Officer salary by city
Salary by role in Knoxville
What you should know
The Chief Data & AI Officer landscape in Knoxville is not what most salary sites will tell you. Knoxville benefits from the presence of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The national lab drives strong demand for research scientists, engineers, and data analysts. No state income tax and affordable living make it an attractive value proposition. Compensation scales with the breadth of the AI and data portfolio under management. Officers overseeing both revenue-generating AI products and enterprise data governance at Fortune 500 companies command premium packages. Industry vertical matters significantly, with financial services and healthcare paying 15 to 25% above median.
Most CDAIOs advance from VP of Data Science or VP of AI Engineering roles earning $200,000 to $270,000. The CDAIO role itself ranges from $220,000 to $385,000 base. Some transition to CEO or board director positions with total compensation exceeding $1,500,000 annually. In Knoxville, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 11% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation typically reaches $600,000 to $1,200,000 including equity grants, performance bonuses of 40 to 60% of base, and retention packages. Board observer seats and advisory equity in portfolio companies are increasingly common. And on the tax side: tennessee has no state income tax on wages. Knoxville has no city income tax. This zero income tax environment combined with very affordable housing creates excellent purchasing power. When someone quotes you $252,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight Oak Ridge National Lab and DOE experience. National lab affiliations and security clearances command significant premiums in the Knoxville area. The range for Chief Data & AI Officers in Knoxville runs from $188,000 to $329,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Head of AI in Knoxville earns $250,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Knoxville is Distinguished Engineer at $305,000
Common questions.
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Other salaries in Knoxville
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