Average Salaries in Mississippi
Explore salaries across 689 occupations in Mississippi. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $57.9K, -12.0% 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: 689 occupations and 1,140,550 total jobs in Mississippi.
How the state compares
Mississippi pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Mississippi has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric. 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 Mississippi
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 Mississippi
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $544.1K | N/A |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $325.6K | 390 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $261.6K | 50 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $253K | 450 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $235.6K | 570 |
| Physicians, All Other | $228.1K | N/A |
| Psychiatrists | $213.7K | 110 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $198.4K | 480 |
| Pediatricians, General | $183.7K | 40 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $180.4K | 120 |
Largest occupations in Mississippi
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 38,400 | $28.6K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 31,220 | $22.6K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 30,750 | $36.4K |
| Cashiers | 30,490 | $26.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 29,060 | $77.1K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 24,160 | $51.8K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 23,420 | $34.3K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 21,800 | $23.9K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 20,860 | $36.4K |
| Office Clerks, General | 17,600 | $34.9K |
What Mississippi 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 Mississippi than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Mississippi
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Upholsterers | 16.01 | $44.9K |
| Logging Workers, All Other | 10.74 | $37.4K |
| Psychiatric Aides | 9.37 | $30.5K |
| Logging Equipment Operators | 7.77 | $49.6K |
| Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 7.28 | $60.7K |
| Cooling And Freezing Equipment Operators And Tenders | 7.00 | $38.2K |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Wood | 6.24 | $37K |
| Fallers | 6.13 | $54.1K |
| Sewers, Hand | 6.08 | N/A |
| Graders And Sorters, Agricultural Products | 6.04 | $30.1K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Mississippi
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Mississippi
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | $57.9K | 261,850 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $58.5K | 149,420 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $51.7K | 54,530 |
Common salary questions for Mississippi
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 states 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.