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What does a Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers earning $98,000 in Mississippi has the equivalent purchasing power of $112,256 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) | $62,210 | $71,260 | +$9,050 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $75,510 | $86,494 | +$10,984 |
| Median (P50) | $98,000 | $112,256 | +$14,256 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $127,410 | $145,945 | +$18,535 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $136,990 | $156,918 | +$19,928 |
A Mechanical Engineers in Mississippi earns $98,000 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $112,256 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 Mechanical Engineers, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $98,000 for Mississippi's cost of living yields $112,257 — 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 sits at #15 of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Mechanical Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Mississippi ranks #15 out of 51 states for Mechanical Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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 $98,000 per year. After adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living (RPP=87.3), the real purchasing power is $112,256 — 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: $98,000 x (100 / 87.3) = $112,256. 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.
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