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What does a Clergy salary really buy you in Mississippi?
Mississippi is 12.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Mississippi's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 87.3, meaning prices are 12.7% lower the national average. A Clergy earning $52,450 in Mississippi has the equivalent purchasing power of $60,080 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $35,030 | $40,126 | +$5,096 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $48,270 | $55,292 | +$7,022 |
| Median (P50) | $52,450 | $60,080 | +$7,630 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $60,790 | $69,633 | +$8,843 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $85,810 | $98,293 | +$12,483 |
A Clergy in Mississippi earns $52,450 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $60,080 in an average-cost state. This makes Mississippi one of the best value states for this occupation.
Mississippi's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 87.3 means a basket of goods and services costs about 12.7% less than the national average. For a Clergy, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $52,450 for Mississippi's cost of living yields $60,080 — a 14.5% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Mississippi's rank of #35 of 50 states means real purchasing power for Clergy trails the national half-way line.
Where does Clergy salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Mississippi ranks #35 out of 50 states for Clergy after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Clergy take-home pay in Mississippi after taxes →
A Clergy in Mississippi earns a median salary of $52,450 per year. After adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living (RPP=87.3), the real purchasing power is $60,080 — a +14.5% difference.
Mississippi's cost of living is 12.7% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Mississippi is 87.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Clergy in Mississippi: $52,450 x (100 / 87.3) = $60,080. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Clergy in Mississippi enjoys 14.5% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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