Nursing Assistants Salary
In Mississippi, nursing assistants earn $31,520 at the median, or about $15.15 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $35,456 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 50.1% 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 $32K get you in Mississippi?
About nursing assistants
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for nursing assistants in Mississippi runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,077/month, which is 49.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for nursing assistantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level nursing assistants (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Nursing Assistants salary by metro in Mississippi
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $32K | +2% | 3,000 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $32K | +0% | 1,660 |
| Hattiesburg | $30K | -3% | 840 |
Compare to other states
Track nursing assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nursing assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 49.9% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nursing assistants in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nursing assistants typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,623/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nursing assistant a high-paying job in Mississippi?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $32K here vs. $42K 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 nursing assistants?
Mississippi pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do nursing assistants make in Mississippi?
The median is $31,520 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,050, and experienced nursing assistants can clear $38,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,157/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 49.9% 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 nursing assistants 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 nursing assistants salary is worth about $35,456 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nursing assistants 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.