What does a Mechanical Engineers salary really buy you in Mississippi?
Mississippi is 12.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Mississippi's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 87.3, meaning prices are 12.7% lower the national average. A Mechanical Engineers earning $84,390 in Mississippi has the equivalent purchasing power of $96,666 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) | $57,320 | $65,658 | +$8,338 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $69,100 | $79,152 | +$10,052 |
| Median (P50) | $84,390 | $96,666 | +$12,276 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $108,940 | $124,788 | +$15,848 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $131,380 | $150,492 | +$19,112 |
A Mechanical Engineers in Mississippi earns $84,390 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $96,666 in an average-cost state. This makes Mississippi one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Mechanical Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Mississippi ranks #31 out of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Mechanical Engineers take-home pay in Mississippi after taxes →
A Mechanical Engineers in Mississippi earns a median salary of $84,390 per year. After adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living (RPP=87.3), the real purchasing power is $96,666 — 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 Mechanical Engineers in Mississippi: $84,390 x (100 / 87.3) = $96,666. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Mechanical Engineers 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.