Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Mississippi
In Mississippi, waiters and waitresses earn a median $21,370 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−39%); the state ranks 46th of 51 states by median. That is 47% less than the median across all occupations in Mississippi ($40,120). Among neighbouring states, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas pay more (up to $27,760 in Tennessee) and Louisiana pays less (down to $15,080 in Louisiana). Mississippi employs 15,190 waiters and waitresses, 13.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 35th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.89 is close to the national share.
Mississippi vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $7.37 | $7.79 | $10.27 | $14.09 | $18.95 | $11.87 | 15,190 | 13.06 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $15,330 | $16,210 | $21,370 | $29,300 | $39,420 | $24,680 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 46th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 35th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.89
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.06
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Mississippi's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Mississippi
4 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Mississippi publish a row for waiters and waitresses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $11.80 | $24,550 | $15,080 | $47,480 | 8,060 | 13.18 | 0.90 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $10.86 | $22,600 | $15,430 | $38,920 | 3,910 | 24.67 | 1.69 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $10.49 | $21,830 | $15,080 | $39,220 | 1,010 | 16.22 | 1.11 |
| Jackson, MS | $10.31 | $21,440 | $15,430 | $44,380 | 2,750 | 10.17 | 0.70 |
| Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $10.00 | $20,810 | $15,340 | $38,170 | 890 | 11.09 | 0.76 |
| Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $9.43 | $19,620 | $15,280 | $38,180 | 2,900 | 13.55 | 0.93 |
| West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $9.18 | $19,100 | $15,080 | $38,330 | 750 | 8.11 | 0.56 |
| Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $8.69 | $18,080 | $15,200 | $35,520 | 1,340 | 10.83 | 0.74 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Mississippi wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Mississippi estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.