Average Salaries in Hattiesburg, MS
Explore salaries across 244 occupations in Hattiesburg, MS. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $51.7K, -21.3% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 244 occupations and 54,530 total jobs in Hattiesburg, MS.
How the metro compares
Hattiesburg, MS is among the lower-paying metros. Most occupations here earn less than their national averages, though cost of living is typically lower too.
Hattiesburg, MS is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Hattiesburg, MS
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Hattiesburg, MS
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $319.4K | 170 |
| Dentists, General | $132.4K | 70 |
| Pharmacists | $129K | 170 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $128.5K | 80 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $113.3K | 340 |
| Human Resources Managers | $108.8K | 50 |
| Physician Assistants | $108.4K | 50 |
| Electrical Engineers | $106.6K | 60 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $105.2K | 90 |
| Veterinarians | $104.6K | 50 |
Largest occupations in Hattiesburg, MS
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,600 | $28.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,190 | $76.3K |
| Cashiers | 2,110 | $26K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,960 | $22.6K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,460 | $25.4K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,280 | $36.7K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,100 | $31K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 1,070 | $34.3K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,010 | $23.5K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,010 | $21.8K |
What Hattiesburg, MS specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Hattiesburg, MS than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Hattiesburg, MS
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Logging Equipment Operators | 8.81 | $51.3K |
| Psychiatric Aides | 8.05 | $31.4K |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 5.67 | $44.5K |
| Surgical Technologists | 4.53 | $48.6K |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | 4.41 | $37K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 3.92 | $23.5K |
| Loan Interviewers And Clerks | 3.56 | $38.5K |
| Installation, Maintenance, And Repair Workers, All Other | 2.80 | $66.4K |
| Loan Officers | 2.77 | $58.6K |
| Orderlies | 2.67 | $26.8K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Hattiesburg, MS
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.