Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Mississippi is $58,720/year ($28.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $66,052 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in Mississippi?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for surveyors in Mississippi runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.8% 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 surveyors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Mississippi
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $62K | +5% | 100 |
| Jackson | $61K | +4% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 27.8% 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 surveyors in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,330/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Mississippi?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $59K here vs. $75K 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 surveyors?
Mississippi pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Mississippi?
The median is $58,720 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,840, and experienced surveyors can clear $96,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,872/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 27.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $66,052 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.