SalaryExplorer

SOC 41-2031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Retail Salespersons — Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg, MS · 2 metro areas compared

$28,410 /year
$13.66per hour
2,600jobs in area
−19.8%vs US median

In Hattiesburg, MS the median wage is $28,410.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $35,41010TH$21,950MEDIAN$28,41075TH$33,44090TH$37,670

How pay has moved

$29,970$20,6102019202020212022202320242025$28,410
$22,630 in 2019 to $28,410 in 2025, +25.5% before inflation. BLS states that OEWS estimates are not designed for comparison across years: the occupational classification, the sampling frame and the survey method have all changed inside this window. Read the direction, not the exact difference.

The next ten years

Projected to decline

Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
-0.5%
Openings per year
555,800
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.

Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Hattiesburg, MS.

Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.

Salary overview

In Hattiesburg, MS the median wage is $28,410. That is 19.8% lower than the national median of $35,410. Pay ranges from under $21,950 at the tenth percentile to more than $37,670 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $23,200 to $33,440.

Employment stands at 2,600, or 41.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Jackson records the highest median at $29,070. Of the 239 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 210th.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Hattiesburg, MS · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$21,950−38.0%
25th$23,200−34.5%
Median (50th)$28,410−19.8%
75th$33,440−5.6%
90th$37,670+6.4%
Mean$30,070−15.1%

Why the average earner is usually not a typical earner

Other metro areas in Mississippi

Median annual wage for Retail Salespersons, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Jackson$29,0708,770
2Gulfport$28,8805,380

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Hattiesburg run 12.4% below the national average, so the median of $28,410 goes as far as $32,432 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 8.4% below the national median in real terms.

Published median

$28,410as reported by BLS

Local price level

87.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$32,432US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $28,410 a year, 19.8% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $21,950 to $37,670 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 2,600 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Jackson, at $29,070.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Retail Salespersons in Hattiesburg, MS?

The median annual wage is $28,410, or $13.66 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $35,410, so pay in Hattiesburg, MS is 19.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Hattiesburg, MS earns more than $37,670 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $21,950 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Jackson, at $29,070 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 2,600 jobs in this occupation in Hattiesburg, MS. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.

Retail Salespersons Salary in Hattiesburg, MS (2025): $28,410 Median | Salary Explorer