Bridge and Lock Tenders Salary
In Mississippi, bridge and lock tenders earn $74,730 at the median, or about $35.93 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $84,061 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 21.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Mississippi. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $75K get you in Mississippi?
About bridge and lock tenders
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Mississippi sits well above the national pay line for bridge and lock tenders, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,077/month, 22.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Mississippi offers a genuinely strong financial position for bridge and lock tenderss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level bridge and lock tenders (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track bridge and lock tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bridge and lock tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for bridge and lock tenders in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bridge and lock tenders typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,875/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bridge and lock tender a high-paying job in Mississippi?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $75K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for bridge and lock tenders?
Mississippi pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bridge and lock tenders make in Mississippi?
The median is $74,730 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,250, and experienced bridge and lock tenders can clear $74,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,787/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 22.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a bridge and lock tenders salary go in Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bridge and lock tenders salary is worth about $84,061 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bridge and lock tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.