Tennessee Hydropower jobs: 5,802 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, Tennessee employs 5,802 people in the hydropower sector — about 10% of the U.S. total. That makes Tennessee the 3rd-largest state for hydropower jobs nationwide.
Hydropower Jobs in Tennessee (2024)
National share: 9.99% of all U.S. hydropower jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
Tennessee ranks 3rd out of 51 U.S. states in hydropower employment. At 5,802 workers, the state sits above the 25th-ranked New Jersey’s tally by 5,481 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 4,831 hydropower workers.
1.1 Tennessee’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The hydropower sector nationwide employs roughly 58,089 workers; Tennessee accounts for 5,802 of them.
1.3 Where Tennessee sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 53,319 | #17 |
| Hydropower | 5,802 | #3 |
| Solar | 5,590 | #21 |
| Electric Vehicles | 5,332 | #7 |
| Storage & Grid | 1,137 | #21 |
| Wind | 849 | #35 |
| Clean Fuels | 253 | #22 |
| Nuclear | 94 | #37 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in Tennessee
Every hydropower-related sub-category reported for Tennessee in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in Tennessee
Tennessee contributes 9.99% of the nation’s hydropower workforce. Within Tennessee’s own clean-energy economy, hydropower accounts for 8.0% of total clean-energy jobs (5,802 of 72,376 workers).
Cost-of-living in Tennessee is roughly 7.3% lower the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for hydropower roles in Tennessee is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | Tennessee-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologic / Civil Engineer | $95,890 | $88,890 | 4 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator (Hydro) | $54,460 | $50,484 | 3 |
See all 2 hydropower occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
Tennessee employers rate 18.2% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 26.6% as “somewhat difficult”) — easier than the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 44.8% of Tennessee’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 86,997 |
| Construction | 44,586 |
| Trade | 22,813 |
| Other Services | 22,441 |
| Utilities | 19,794 |
| Professional Services | 15,934 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 6,701 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 390 |
| Mining and Extraction | 379 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.