Clergy Salary
Clergies in Mississippi make a median of $52,450 a year, or about $25.22 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $58,999 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Mississippi?
About clergies
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for clergy in Mississippi runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level clergies (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Clergy salary by metro in Mississippi
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $57K | +9% | 60 |
| Hattiesburg | $52K | -1% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track clergy salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clergy afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clergies in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clergies typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,102/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is clergy a high-paying job in Mississippi?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $52K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for clergies?
Mississippi pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do clergies make in Mississippi?
The median is $52,450 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,030, and experienced clergies can clear $85,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,476/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 31% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a clergy 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 clergy salary is worth about $58,999 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clergies 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.