More than 1.2 million people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Nashville metro area’s $205 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about Music City’s heaviest hitters?

Consider this Nashville Business 101 — your guide to our region’s key industries and major employers.

Note: When we say Nashville’s metro area, that refers to the metropolitan statistical area for Nashville, Davidson County, Murfreesboro, and Franklin.

The key industries

There are four major industries that represent the bulk of the region’s economy, based on 10-county data from Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Health care
Over 900 health care companies are located in the Middle Tennessee region. The industry contributes $67 billion and 362,560 direct and indirect jobs to the local economy annually. More than half of the privately-owned hospital beds in the US are operated by Nashville-based companies.

Music and entertainment
It likely comes as no surprise that Nashville is home to the highest concentration of musicians and music businesses in the US. There are over 80,000 direct and indirect music and entertainment jobs, as well as ~200 recording studios. The industry contributes $9.9 billion to the local economy annually.

Advanced manufacturing
Nashville connects 20 states by the CSX rail system, air cargo at BNA is supported by 10 major carriers, and the city offers competitive freight transport rates — all factors that make the region a prime destination for manufacturing careers. Top local employers in this industry include Nissan North America, General Motors, and Bridgestone Americas Inc.

Tourism and hospitality
Area colleges like Lipscomb University, Nashville State Community College, and Middle Tennessee State University offer hospitality programs designed to meet workforce needs in this growing industry.

According to its latest economic report, Vanderbilt increased the number of jobs it generates by 64% since 2018. | Photo via VUMC

The major players

Now that we’ve established the major industries, we bet you’re curious for specific names. Whether you’re job hunting (or just casually prospecting), here are six major employers based in the region.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Search jobs
Did you know? VUMC and Vanderbilt University combined employ ~50,000 people. On the hospital side, there are careers available in inpatient and outpatient clinical care, research, administration, IT, communications, and more.

Nissan North America | Search jobs
Nissan's North American operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, distribution and manufacturing, and sales and marketing. The company is headquartered in Franklin.

HCA Healthcare Inc. | Search jobs
HCA’s corporate headquarters in Nashville serves as the hub for its vast network of healthcare facilities, including 186 hospitals and ~2,400 ambulatory sites of care. In April 2025, HCA landed on Fortune’s 2025 World’s Most Admired Companies list.

Amazon | Search jobs
In 2018, Amazon pledged 5,000 corporate and technology jobs as part of its logistics hub at Nashville Yards. The company's first local tower opened in 2021.

Vanderbilt University | Search jobs
Forbes magazine ranked the university No. 26 on its 2023 list of Best Employers in Tennessee — one spot above VUMC.

Ascension Saint Thomas | Search jobs
This health care system has a large presence in Tennessee with hospital campuses and a network of medical practices, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities.

This information is derived from the employer directly and/or the most recent data published by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.