Mississippi Paycheck Calculator (2026)

How the Mississippi Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works

This Mississippi paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in Mississippi using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare and Mississippi's state income tax (graduated rates from 0% to 4%). Mississippi is phasing out its income tax, with a 4% rate that applies only above the first $10,000 of taxable income. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.

How Mississippi taxes wages

Mississippi taxes individual income at 0% on the first $10,000 of taxable income and 4% above that for 2026, part of a schedule of cuts that the legislature enacted to eliminate the income tax over time. The state standard deduction is $2,300 for single filers and $4,600 for joint filers, and personal exemptions are $6,000 for single filers and $12,000 for joint filers, plus $1,500 per dependent. Together these shelter roughly $18,000 or more of income for a single filer before the 4% rate applies.

On a $65,000 salary with a traditional 401(k), Mississippi tax is roughly $1,800, or about 2.8% of gross pay. Mississippi follows federal treatment of pre-tax retirement contributions. The scheduled reductions mean the rate on next year's paycheck may be lower, so verify current law.

How this calculator estimates your Mississippi paycheck

The calculator starts with your gross pay, subtracts the pre-tax deduction you enter, and applies the 2026 federal standard deduction of $16,100 for single filers or $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. Federal income tax comes from the seven 2026 brackets, Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45% with a 0.9% surcharge above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint). For Mississippi it then applies graduated rates from 0% to 4% income tax after a state standard deduction of $2,300 for single filers and $4,600 for joint filers and a personal exemption of $6,000 for single filers and $12,000 for joint filers. Pre-tax deferrals reduce state taxable income in the estimate, as they do on most state returns. Results are estimates; your employer's payroll system and your tax return are final. See the US paycheck guide for the full method.

What jobs pay in Mississippi

About 1,163,030 people worked in Mississippi in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $40,120 ($19.29 an hour), 21% below the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $50,810, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up; the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck.

After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the Mississippi taxes in this calculator, a single worker on that $40,120 median takes home about $33,544 a year, or $2,795 a month and $1,290.14 every two weeks.

Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Mississippi. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.

The biggest jobs in Mississippi and what they take home

The largest occupations in Mississippi by number of workers are below. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in Mississippi.

Most of the largest occupations sit near or below the middle of the pay range: 11 of these 15 pay less than the $40,120 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.

Worked example: $65,000 salary in Mississippi, paid every two weeks

A single Mississippi employee earning $65,000, paid every two weeks and contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k), has gross pay of $2,500.00 per paycheck. After the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 federal standard deduction, taxable income is $46,300 and federal income tax is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Mississippi state income tax is about $1,764, an effective state rate of 2.71% of gross pay.

Net pay is about $50,356 a year, or $1,936.75 per paycheck, which is 77.5% of gross pay. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.

Married couple example: $110,000 combined pay

A married couple filing jointly in Mississippi with $110,000 of combined wages and 6% ($6,600) going to traditional retirement plans has federal taxable income of $71,200 and pays about $8,048 in federal income tax and $8,415 in FICA. Mississippi income tax comes to roughly $3,072. Estimated take-home pay is about $83,865 a year, or $3,225.58 per biweekly paycheck.

Well-paid occupations in Mississippi

Among occupations with at least 1,700 workers in Mississippi, these have the highest median pay. Federal tax takes a larger share at these salaries, so compare the take-home column rather than the salary when weighing offers.

Jobs that are unusually common in Mississippi

A location quotient compares how common a job is locally with its share nationwide: 2.0 means twice as concentrated as the U.S. overall. These occupations stand out in Mississippi and say a lot about which industries hire there.

Is pay higher in Mississippi? Popular jobs compared

Median annual wages for well-known jobs in Mississippi and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.

Starting wages in Mississippi

The lowest-paid 10% of workers in Mississippi earn under $11.04 an hour. Common hourly jobs pay the median rates below; a 40-hour week at that rate takes home the amount shown after 2026 taxes. Check the current Mississippi minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.

Which career fields pay most in Mississippi

BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across Mississippi, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in Mississippi. Management pays the most at a median of $96,610; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $24,280.

Entry-level to top pay for Mississippi jobs

The median hides a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% in a job are often new to it, while the top 10% are usually experienced, specialized or in management. The ranges below for common Mississippi jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.

Mississippi take-home pay at three salaries

These estimates assume a single filer, no pre-tax deductions and the 2026 federal standard deduction.

• $40,000: federal income tax about $2,620, FICA $3,060, Mississippi income tax about $868, leaving roughly $33,452 a year ($1,286.62 per biweekly paycheck).
• $65,000: federal income tax about $5,620, FICA $4,973, Mississippi income tax about $1,868, leaving roughly $52,540 a year ($2,020.75 per biweekly paycheck).
• $100,000: federal income tax about $13,170, FICA $7,650, Mississippi income tax about $3,268, leaving roughly $75,912 a year ($2,919.69 per biweekly paycheck).

Use the calculator to add retirement deferrals, change your filing status or switch pay frequency. For comparisons, see the national paycheck calculator and the paycheck calculators by state hub.

Where the tax goes on a $65,000 Mississippi paycheck

Of about $12,461 in total annual taxes for a single filer earning $65,000 with no pre-tax deductions, federal income tax is about 45%, Social Security and Medicare together are about 40%, Mississippi income tax is about 15%. Federal taxes dominate almost everywhere, which is why federal planning tools such as the federal income tax calculator and a correctly completed W-4 matter as much as the state rate.

Mississippi local taxes and payroll deductions

Mississippi has no local income tax on wages and no state disability or paid family leave payroll deduction, so the stub shows federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and Mississippi withholding. Employees use Form 89-350 to claim exemptions and set state withholding. Mississippi employers have to update their withholding tables when the rate changes, so check that your stub reflects the current year.

Mississippi does not have reciprocity agreements, so commuters from Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee or Arkansas who work in Mississippi pay Mississippi tax on wages earned there.

Retirement income, credits and special Mississippi rules

Mississippi does not tax Social Security benefits and exempts most retirement income, including pensions, IRA distributions and annuities, for people who meet age or plan requirements. The state offers credits for child care, adoption and other purposes, and a property tax homestead exemption. Mississippi does not tax investment income at a special rate; capital gains are taxed as ordinary income.

Bonuses and supplemental wages are taxed as wages, with flat-rate withholding. Mississippi has no estate tax and no inheritance tax.

Living and working in Mississippi: how the tax burden compares

Mississippi's sales tax is 7% with no local additions in most places, and groceries are taxed at the full rate with a partial credit for low-income households. Property taxes are moderate. Jackson, Gulfport and the Gulf Coast have health care, shipbuilding and gaming employment, and Mississippi has some of the lowest living costs in the country.

Compare Mississippi with Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and Arkansas using the calculators.

Mississippi income tax at a glance

• State income tax: graduated, from 0% to 4%
• State standard deduction: $2,300 single, $4,600 joint
• Personal exemption: $6,000 single, $12,000 joint
• State pre-tax retirement treatment: follows the federal exclusion
• Withholding form: Form 89-350
• Agency: the Mississippi Department of Revenue

These are the assumptions built into the calculator above. Rates, exemptions and payroll premiums change from year to year, so verify each item with the agency listed before making a large financial decision.

What a $100 pre-tax contribution really costs in Mississippi

Contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k) or HSA reduces your take-home pay by less than $100 because it lowers taxable income. In the $65,000 single-filer example for Mississippi, the annual contribution of $2,600 cuts net pay by only about $2,184, or $84.00 per biweekly paycheck, so the true cost of each $100 contribution is roughly $84.00. The saving comes from both federal and Mississippi income tax, though not from Social Security or Medicare. Use the 401(k) calculator to see how those contributions grow.

Mississippi paycheck rules: pay frequency, minimum wage and final pay

Mississippi follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and has no state minimum wage law for most private employers. There is no state law setting pay frequency or final pay deadlines for private employers, so schedules depend on employer policy and federal rules. Overtime follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act for covered workers. Workers with wage disputes may need to pursue federal claims with the Department of Labor.

Common mistakes with Mississippi paychecks

• Overlooking the $10,000 zero bracket. Income below $10,000 of taxable income is not taxed.
• Assuming the rate is fixed. Mississippi is phasing down its tax.
• Budgeting from gross pay. Plan with net pay per paycheck, about $1,936.75 in the $65,000 example.
• Forgetting FICA. Social Security and Medicare add 7.65% for most employees. See what is FICA tax.
• Not updating withholding. Review your W-4 and Form 89-350 after a move, marriage or new job, using the W-4 withholding calculator.

Key takeaways

• Mississippi taxes wages with graduated rates from 0% to 4%.
• Pre-tax retirement deferrals lower federal income tax but not FICA.
• A single worker earning $65,000 keeps about 77% of gross pay in the standard example.
• Compare states using total cost of living, not only income tax.
• Confirm current figures with the Mississippi Department of Revenue and IRS.gov.

What a typical Mississippi paycheck covers

On the $40,120 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,003 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $2,795 monthly take-home pay, that is about $1,398 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $839 for wants and $559 for savings and debt payments.

If rents run above $1,003 for the home you want, the usual fixes are a roommate, a longer commute or a second income in the household; the rent affordability calculator tests your own numbers.