State salary profile · Mississippi

Mississippi Salaries

Mississippi wages where BEA prices sit below the national average (RPP 87), from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

$144,794
Mean of top 50 medians
672
Occupations
7
Local wage areas
46,920
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Mississippi is $144,794.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 672 occupations in Mississippi; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric, earns $544,130, versus $21,370 for Waiters and Waitresses at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 3 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

Mississippi · employment ≠ wage

In Mississippi, Retail Salespersons lead by published employment (38,400 jobs, #1 of 651) but rank #601 of 651 on median wage ($28,640), while General Internal Medicine Physicians top the wage list at $325,610 (#1 of 651) with 390 jobs (#341 of 651). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

38,400
Retail Salespersons employment #1
$325,610
General Internal Medicine ... wage #1
#341
Employment rank of wage leader
#601
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Mississippi's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Retail Salespersons lead Mississippi by employment; General Internal Medicine Physicians lead on median wage at $325,610.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Mississippi, the picture in one line

Mississippi ranks #52 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $544,130. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

#52
of 54 states by published mean wage
$544,130
top-paying: Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
4th
percentile among all states
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
local OEWS: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Hattiesburg, MS

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.

Where Mississippi already employs the upper wage tier

General and Operations Managers and Nurse Practitioners lead Mississippi's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. General and Operations Managers 10,630 jobs · $106,680
  2. 2. Nurse Practitioners 4,690 jobs · $124,730
  3. 3. Financial Managers 3,470 jobs · $111,390
  4. 4. Pharmacists 3,050 jobs · $133,230
  5. 5. Industrial Production Managers 2,290 jobs · $118,660
  6. 6. Physical Therapists 1,980 jobs · $99,990
  7. 7. Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 1,890 jobs · $137,220
  8. 8. Sales Managers 1,870 jobs · $108,750
  9. 9. Civil Engineers 1,770 jobs · $100,170
  10. 10. Computer and Information Systems Managers 1,710 jobs · $124,280
  11. 11. Electrical Engineers 1,130 jobs · $104,990
  12. 12. Managers, All Other 960 jobs · $101,570
  13. 13. Architectural and Engineering Managers 860 jobs · $142,790
  14. 14. Marketing Managers 770 jobs · $100,940
  15. 15. Dentists, General 740 jobs · $143,660
  16. 16. Human Resources Managers 720 jobs · $106,100
  17. 17. Family Medicine Physicians 570 jobs · $235,630
  18. 18. Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 570 jobs · $104,220
  19. 19. Nurse Anesthetists 480 jobs · $198,410
  20. 20. Engineers, All Other 480 jobs · $111,030

Local BLS wage areas inside Mississippi

Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Hattiesburg, MS Jackson, MS Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Mississippi moved from $39,070 in May 2024 to $40,120 in May 2025 (+2.7%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Mississippi sits -0.1 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Mississippi

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers publishes $46,140 here versus $76,210 nationally (-39.5%; 8,070statewide jobs). Next is Waiters and Waitresses at $21,370 locally versus $35,230 nationally (-39.3%).

  1. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$46,140 in Mississippi sits 39.5% below the national Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers median of $76,210 (8,070 published local jobs).
  2. Waiters and Waitresses$21,370 in Mississippi sits 39.3% below the national Waiters and Waitresses median of $35,230 (15,190 published local jobs).
  3. Childcare Workers$22,050 in Mississippi sits 37.0% below the national Childcare Workers median of $34,980 (5,420 published local jobs).
  4. Home Health and Personal Care Aides$23,860 in Mississippi sits 33.4% below the national Home Health and Personal Care Aides median of $35,800 (21,800 published local jobs).

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Mississippi; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Mississippi OEWS table has a published median for 672 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 46,920; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $144,794 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric pays a Mississippi median of $544,130, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to General Internal Medicine Physicians at $325,610, followed by Physicians, Pathologists at $261,570. At the bottom of the published range, Waiters and Waitresses has a median of $21,370, making the displayed endpoint ratio 25.5×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 3 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Mississippi, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Mississippi's lower BEA price level (RPP 87) lifts the national-price reading of the published mean to about $58,402. Even then, compare Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric and Waiters and Waitresses inside a local OEWS area before treating either median as an offer. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$144,794

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$544,130

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

Where Mississippi ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS

$50,810 Bottom 4% higher than 4% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). This entry sits in this band. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Above this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 (this entry) 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$50,810 · 4th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Mississippi ranks #52 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($50,810). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $50,810 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $58,402. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Mississippi (RPP 87.0, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Mississippi

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 672 distinct occupations in Mississippi. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Mississippi, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Mississippi jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 General and Operations Managers $106,680
2 Nurse Practitioners $124,730
3 Financial Managers $111,390
4 Pharmacists $133,230
5 Industrial Production Managers $118,660
6 Physical Therapists $99,990
7 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary $137,220
8 Sales Managers $108,750
9 Civil Engineers $100,170
10 Computer and Information Systems Managers $124,280
11 Electrical Engineers $104,990
12 Managers, All Other $101,570
13 Architectural and Engineering Managers $142,790
14 Marketing Managers $100,940
15 Dentists, General $143,660
16 Human Resources Managers $106,100
17 Family Medicine Physicians $235,630
18 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels $104,220
19 Nurse Anesthetists $198,410
20 Engineers, All Other $111,030
21 Veterinarians $105,370
22 Emergency Medicine Physicians $252,960
23 Power Plant Operators $102,400
24 General Internal Medicine Physicians $325,610
25 Physical Scientists, All Other $108,890
26 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $143,580
27 Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary $100,440
28 Purchasing Managers $122,940
29 Physician Assistants $105,920
30 Chief Executives $139,250
31 Computer and Information Research Scientists $109,050
32 Boilermakers $105,910
33 Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $112,400
34 Optometrists $108,070
35 Commercial Pilots $103,640
36 Natural Sciences Managers $119,430
37 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $112,400
38 Chemical Engineers $106,740
39 Surgeons, All Other $180,420
40 Psychiatrists $213,680
41 Aerospace Engineers $109,200
42 Physicists $129,970
43 Psychologists, All Other $103,380
44 Physicians, Pathologists $261,570
45 Pediatricians, General $183,650
46 Medical Dosimetrists $115,490
47 Actuaries $106,210
48 Podiatrists $164,410
49 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $544,130
50 Physicians, All Other $228,130

Lowest Paying Jobs in Mississippi

Occupation Median Salary
Waiters and Waitresses $21,370
Telemarketers $21,540
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $21,570
Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other $21,970
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $21,990
Childcare Workers $22,050
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term $22,340
Baggage Porters and Bellhops $22,560
Fast Food and Counter Workers $22,610
Cooks, Fast Food $22,670
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $23,160
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $23,180
Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons $23,470
School Bus Monitors $23,500
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $23,860
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners $23,980
Occupational Therapy Aides $24,300
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $24,440
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians $25,170
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers $25,340
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $25,360
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $25,840
Food Preparation Workers $26,240
Dishwashers $26,300
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers $26,340

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Mississippi. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Metro and Nonmetropolitan Wage Areas in Mississippi

Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Hattiesburg, MS Jackson, MS Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Mississippi. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($50,810 here) and reported employment (1,163,030 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Mississippi pages

Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area.

Gulfport-Biloxi, MS

Local OEWS wage area

Hattiesburg, MS

Local OEWS wage area

Jackson, MS

Local OEWS wage area

Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Mississippi

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Mississippi

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Mississippi? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $144,794/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Mississippi? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $50,810/year for Mississippi in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 52nd among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Mississippi? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Mississippi is Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric with a median salary of $544,130/year according to BLS data. The second highest is General Internal Medicine Physicians at $325,610/year.
What jobs pay the least in Mississippi? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Mississippi ranking is Waiters and Waitresses at $21,370/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Mississippi? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 3 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Mississippi. Published local OEWS areas include Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area, then West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Mississippi? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 672 distinct occupations in Mississippi. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 46,920 jobs in covered establishments.

Price-level sources for Mississippi

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BEA Regional Price Parities → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Mississippi wage data in a real decision

  • Mississippi prices sit below the national BEA average (RPP 87), so the published $50,810 mean is closer to $58,402 nationally; still re-check Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric inside Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Hattiesburg, MS before relocating. Compare states
  • Inside Mississippi, re-check Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric in Gulfport-Biloxi, MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Jackson, MS, Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area or Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
  • Open Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric for percentile bands and local-area rows; Mississippi's statewide median of $544,130 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
  • The published Mississippi range runs from Waiters and Waitresses at $21,370 to Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $544,130; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.