Chief Data Officer.

Where do you fall?

Salary trend

Estimated total: $386,000

If you are interviewing for Chief Data Officer roles in Knoxville, here is what you are walking into. 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. Data maturity of the organization, regulatory complexity, and whether the CDO drives revenue versus compliance create wide pay variance. CDOs at companies monetizing data assets or building AI-powered products earn significantly more than those focused primarily on governance and regulatory compliance activities.

Directors of data science or analytics earn $165,000 to $220,000. VPs of data advance to $210,000 to $280,000. CDOs at mid-market companies make $240,000 to $310,000. CDOs at large enterprises or data-intensive tech companies reach $320,000 to $400,000 with total comp of $500,000 to $1.2 million. 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. Annual bonuses of 20 to 35% of base tied to data quality metrics, AI initiative success, and compliance milestones are standard. Equity grants at tech companies add $150,000 to $600,000 in annualized value. Some CDOs negotiate dedicated data infrastructure budgets. 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 $236,000, 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 Officers in Knoxville runs from $177,000 to $309,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

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Enter your Chief Data Officer offer to see where you stand in Knoxville.

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