Pay data
Average Salary in Mississippi (2026)
The average salary in Mississippi is $50,810 a year and the median is $40,120, 21% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $46,140: 51st of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 51st once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $50,810US $69,770
- Median salary
- $40,120US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $19.29BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 87.0US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Mississippi?
About the 84th percentile
You earn more than about 84% of workers in Mississippi.
At Mississippi prices, $75,000 buys what $86,250 buys at the national average, about the 77th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Mississippi workers earn
| Percentile | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,970 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $29,760 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $40,120 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $60,180 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $84,500 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $50,810 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Mississippi
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Mississippi sits at 87.0 overall, with housing at 56.5. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $86,950 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items13% below US87
- Housing (rents)44% below US56.5
- Goods4% below US96.2
- Utilities22% below US78.4
- Other services4% below US96.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 87 |
| Housing (rents) | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Mississippi by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $96,610 | -24% | 47,430 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $81,750 | -18% | 14,360 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $75,000 | -31% | 15,920 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $66,630 | -23% | 86,090 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $66,540 | -20% | 48,720 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $64,770 | -22% | 8,200 |
| Legal | $62,130 | -39% | 6,140 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $49,290 | -19% | 69,600 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $49,130 | -18% | 58,320 |
| Construction and Extraction | $46,800 | -21% | 49,640 |
| Community and Social Service | $46,530 | -20% | 17,620 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $43,580 | -31% | 9,010 |
| Production | $41,000 | -13% | 98,260 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $38,210 | -19% | 146,470 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $37,940 | -14% | 122,680 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $37,510 | +2% | 4,300 |
| Protective Service | $37,390 | -25% | 33,630 |
| Sales | $30,340 | -21% | 108,970 |
| Healthcare Support | $29,360 | -23% | 51,050 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $28,910 | -23% | 33,600 |
| Personal Care and Service | $26,970 | -26% | 23,470 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $24,280 | -31% | 109,560 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Mississippi's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Retail Salesperson38,400
- 2Fast Food and Counter Worker31,220
- 3Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand30,750
- 4Cashier30,490
- 5Registered Nurse29,060
- 6Truck Driver24,160
- 7Stocker and Order Filler23,420
- 8Customer Service Representative20,860
- 9Office Clerk, General17,600
- 10Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners15,940
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Family Medicine Physician$235,630
- 2Dentist$143,660
- 3Architectural and Engineering Manager$142,790
- 4Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary$137,220
- 5Pharmacist$133,230
- 6Nurse Practitioner$124,730
- 7IT Manager$124,280
- 8Industrial Production Manager$118,660
- 9Financial Manager$111,390
- 10Sales Manager$108,750
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Upholsterer16.0x
- 2Psychiatric Aide9.4x
- 3Logging Equipment Operator7.8x
- 4Sawing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Wood6.2x
- 5Grader and Sorter, Agricultural Products6.0x
- 6Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutter and Trimmer5.9x
- 7First-Line Supervisor of Gambling Services Workers5.3x
- 8Gambling Dealer4.3x
- 9Millwright4.2x
- 10Highway Maintenance Worker3.6x
Cities
Average salary by city in Mississippi
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport, MS | $43,470 | $53,290 | 90.0 |
| Jackson, MS | $42,850 | $53,990 | 89.0 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $37,750 | $49,480 | 87.6 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Mississippi. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Mississippi: FAQ
What is the average salary in Mississippi?
The average (mean) annual wage in Mississippi is $50,810 and the median is $40,120, 21% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,163,030 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Mississippi?
$24.43 an hour on average and $19.29 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Mississippi?
Above $40,120 out-earns half of Mississippi workers; the top 25% start at $60,180 and the top 10% at $84,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Mississippi run 13% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $115,000 buys nationally.
Is Mississippi expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Mississippi at 87.0 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 56.5, goods 96.2, utilities 78.4 and other services 96.1. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $86,950 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Mississippi?
Family Medicine Physician ($235,630), Dentist ($143,660), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($142,790), Health Specialties Teacher, Postsecondary ($137,220), Pharmacist ($133,230) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Mississippi (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Mississippi?
Retail Salesperson (38,400), Fast Food and Counter Worker (31,220), Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand (30,750), Cashier (30,490), Registered Nurse (29,060) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).