Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, MS

Each occupation's median wage in Jackson, MS compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Jackson, MS pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Jackson, MS run 11.0% below the national average (2024), so a Jackson, MS salary is worth about 1.12× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Jackson, MS

OccupationMedian, Jackson, MS · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$175,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,320 – $315,480+63.2%
2Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$63,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,920 – $69,190+41.5%
3Social Workers, All Other$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$35,780 – $106,330+31.5%
4Insurance Sales Agents$76,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,510 – $154,350+22.5%
5Tutors$51,860
Some college, no degree
$27,110 – $107,580+19.6%
6Production Workers, All Other$46,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,710 – $77,330+15.6%
7General and Operations Managers$114,190
Bachelor's degree
$48,850 – $262,360+8.0%
8Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$62,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,820 – $76,900+7.7%
9Self-Enrichment Teachers$49,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$21,890 – $75,490+6.1%
10Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$66,030
Associate's degree
$32,670 – $98,510+6.0%
11Food Processing Workers, All Other$41,870
No formal educational credential
$32,710 – $42,660+5.5%
12Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$83,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,140 – $132,890+3.6%
13Chefs and Head Cooks$64,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,300 – $86,310+3.2%
14Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,770 – $74,690+2.8%
15Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $74,050+2.8%
16Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$48,790
Some college, no degree
$34,870 – $61,090+2.0%
17Education Administrators, Postsecondary$105,870
Master's degree
$50,600 – $325,560+1.2%
18Paramedics$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,340 – $79,040+0.4%
19Physical Therapists$103,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,200 – $120,740+0.2%
20Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,820 – $64,940-0.1%
21Civil Engineers$100,170
Bachelor's degree
$54,950 – $168,370-0.7%
22Order Clerks$45,780
Some college, no degree
$32,230 – $48,710-0.8%
23Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,000 – $89,990-0.9%
24Postal Service Clerks$61,050
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-1.7%
25Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$57,430
No formal educational credential
$45,530 – $75,030-1.8%
26Occupational Therapists$98,340
Master's degree
$74,520 – $108,750-2.0%
27Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,500
No formal educational credential
$34,360 – $42,180-2.1%
28Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$44,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,800 – $70,620-2.3%
29Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$54,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,580 – $67,850-2.4%
30Dental Assistants$46,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,240 – $59,610-2.4%
31First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$47,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,950 – $75,030-2.5%
32Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040-2.5%
33Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,910 – $57,530-2.7%
34Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$52,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $70,180-2.8%
35Skincare Specialists$43,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,200 – $140,920-3.2%
36Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,420 – $83,990-3.2%
37Tire Builders$55,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,230 – $55,380-3.5%
38Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$59,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,370 – $84,290-3.8%
39Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$48,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,740 – $80,690-3.9%
40Printing Press Operators$43,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,670 – $56,490-4.3%
41Cost Estimators$75,170
Bachelor's degree
$45,420 – $118,040-4.5%
42Packers and Packagers, Hand$34,580
No formal educational credential
$20,570 – $42,780-4.7%
43First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$59,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,330 – $85,480-4.9%
44Fundraisers$68,710
Bachelor's degree
$43,990 – $113,690-5.3%
45Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$46,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,690 – $91,130-5.5%
46Nurse Practitioners$124,730
Master's degree
$99,480 – $156,480-5.7%
47Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $58,650-6.1%
48Tire Repairers and Changers$35,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $57,690-6.2%
49Pharmacists$132,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,370 – $158,480-6.3%
50Parts Salespersons$36,210
No formal educational credential
$24,010 – $57,220-6.3%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianJackson, MS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$175,090	$55,320 – $315,480	+63.2%
2	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,170	$31,920 – $69,190	+41.5%
3	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,520	$35,780 – $106,330	+31.5%
4	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,310	$28,510 – $154,350	+22.5%
5	TutorsSome college, no degree	$51,860	$27,110 – $107,580	+19.6%
6	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,350	$24,710 – $77,330	+15.6%
7	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,190	$48,850 – $262,360	+8.0%
8	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,530	$22,820 – $76,900	+7.7%
9	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,640	$21,890 – $75,490	+6.1%
10	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$66,030	$32,670 – $98,510	+6.0%
11	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$41,870	$32,710 – $42,660	+5.5%
12	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,120	$63,140 – $132,890	+3.6%
13	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,480	$31,300 – $86,310	+3.2%
14	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,410	$34,770 – $74,690	+2.8%
15	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,580	$36,900 – $74,050	+2.8%
16	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$48,790	$34,870 – $61,090	+2.0%
17	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$105,870	$50,600 – $325,560	+1.2%
18	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$47,340 – $79,040	+0.4%
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$103,000	$77,200 – $120,740	+0.2%
20	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,440	$36,820 – $64,940	-0.1%
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,170	$54,950 – $168,370	-0.7%
22	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$45,780	$32,230 – $48,710	-0.8%
23	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,100	$37,000 – $89,990	-0.9%
24	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,050	$42,600 – $75,030	-1.7%
25	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$45,530 – $75,030	-1.8%
26	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,340	$74,520 – $108,750	-2.0%
27	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,500	$34,360 – $42,180	-2.1%
28	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,790	$28,800 – $70,620	-2.3%
29	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,240	$33,580 – $67,850	-2.4%
30	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,910	$34,240 – $59,610	-2.4%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,330	$28,950 – $75,030	-2.5%
32	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,010	$42,390 – $81,040	-2.5%
33	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,070	$31,910 – $57,530	-2.7%
34	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,220	$37,220 – $70,180	-2.8%
35	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,880	$31,200 – $140,920	-3.2%
36	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,470	$39,420 – $83,990	-3.2%
37	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,380	$48,230 – $55,380	-3.5%
38	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,420	$39,370 – $84,290	-3.8%
39	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,370	$31,740 – $80,690	-3.9%
40	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,820	$26,670 – $56,490	-4.3%
41	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$75,170	$45,420 – $118,040	-4.5%
42	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$34,580	$20,570 – $42,780	-4.7%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,790	$40,330 – $85,480	-4.9%
44	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$68,710	$43,990 – $113,690	-5.3%
45	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,500	$36,690 – $91,130	-5.5%
46	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,730	$99,480 – $156,480	-5.7%
47	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,210	$36,960 – $58,650	-6.1%
48	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,390	$28,960 – $57,690	-6.2%
49	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,080	$103,370 – $158,480	-6.3%
50	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$36,210	$24,010 – $57,220	-6.3%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Jackson, MS to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, MS

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