Working full time at $15 an hour ($31,200 a year) in Mississippi, a single filer takes home about $26,733 a year, $2,228 a month or $12.85 an hour, after federal tax, FICA and $516 Mississippi income tax.
#17 of 51for take-home at this pay
Where the money goes
Breakdown
| Yearly | Monthly | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 | $2,600 |
| Federal income tax | $1,564 | $130 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $1,934 | $161 |
| Medicare | $452 | $38 |
| Mississippi income tax | $516 | $43 |
| Take-home | $26,733 | $2,228 |
| Federal marginal rate | 12% | |
| Mississippi marginal rate | 4.00% |
Same pay in other states
Highest take-home at this pay: Alaska. Middle: Vermont. Lowest: Oregon.
Your tax bracket at this pay
Your federal taxable income is about $15,100 (after the $16,100 standard deduction), which puts the top slice of your pay in the 12% bracket ($12,400 to $50,400). You have about $35,300 of room before the next dollar is taxed at 22%. Only that top slice is taxed at 12%: your average federal rate is 5.0%, and all taxes together (federal, FICA, state) take 14.3% of gross pay. A $1,000 raise would add about $764 to your take-home.
| Federal bracket | Your income in it | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% on $0–$12,400 | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% on $12,400–$50,400 | $2,700 | $324 |
| Rate | Federal | Combined with state and FICA |
|---|---|---|
| Marginal (next dollar) | 12% | 23.6% |
| Effective (average) | 5.0% | 14.3% |
Compared with the Mississippi median
$31,200 is 55% of the Mississippi median household income of $56,447 (Census ACS 2020–2024 median; households can have more than one earner, so a single salary is not directly comparable).
Affordability snapshot
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Rent budget (30% of gross) | $780/mo |
| Home price at 30% of gross (10% down) | $110,000 |
| Mississippi median home value | $169,800 (Census 2020–2024) |
Rule of thumb only: housing at 30% of gross monthly pay. Home price assumes a 30-year fixed at the Freddie Mac average of 7.40% (week of 2026-10-15), 10% down, the Mississippi median effective property tax rate and about 0.35% a year for insurance. Lenders also weigh debts, credit and PMI.
401(k) and HSA effect
| Contribution | Saved | Take-home cut | Tax saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6% to a 401(k) ($1,872/yr) | $1,872 | $1,572 | $300 |
| Max HSA, self-only ($4,400, via payroll) | $4,400 | $3,393 | $1,007 |
Pre-tax 401(k) deferrals cut federal and Mississippi income tax but not Social Security or Medicare; payroll HSA contributions also skip FICA. 2026 limits: 401(k) $24,500 (under 50), HSA $4,400 self-only (IRS). Some states tax HSA contributions; this estimate assumes they follow federal rules.
What applies at this income
- You are under the 2026 Roth IRA income limit for single filers ($153,000 of modified AGI), so you can contribute the full amount.
- Maxing out a 401(k) ($24,500) would take more than half your gross pay at this level, so most people here contribute a percentage instead.
- Mississippi's deductions and lower brackets keep your state tax under 2% of pay, even though your top state rate is 4.00%.
Mississippi jobs that typically pay about $31,200
$31,200 is above the median pay of 23 of the 98 common occupations we track in Mississippi (BLS OEWS, May 2025). These have a Mississippi median between $30,160 and $32,240:
| Occupation | Mississippi median | vs this pay |
|---|---|---|
| School Bus Drivers | $30,640 | −$560 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $31,160 | −$40 |
| Nursing Assistants | $31,520 | +$320 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $31,630 | +$430 |
Where $31,200 lands inside other Mississippi jobs
For 1 of these occupations, $31,200 is what experienced or top earners make (75th–90th percentile); for 9, it is entry-level pay (10th–25th percentile).
| Occupation | Percentile | Mississippi pay at that percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 25th | $30,830 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 10th | $30,840 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 90th | $30,840 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing | 10th | $30,930 |
| Billing and Posting Clerks | 10th | $31,050 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 25th | $31,120 |
| Medical Assistants | 25th | $31,200 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 25th | $31,300 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 25th | $31,520 |
| Sales Representatives of Services | 10th | $31,620 |
Previous and next pay level
Related
- $13 an hour in Mississippi$1,961/mo
- $14 an hour in Mississippi$2,095/mo
- $16 an hour in Mississippi$2,360/mo
- $17 an hour in Mississippi$2,492/mo
- Mississippi income tax brackets2026
- Minimum wage in Mississippi2026
- Mississippi property taxby county
Single filer, W-2 wages only; 2026 IRS brackets and $16,100 standard deduction, FICA (Social Security to $184,500, Medicare +0.9% over $200,000) and state rules per the Tax Foundation (Jan 1, 2026). Local taxes and payroll deductions are excluded. Sources: IRS, SSA, Tax Foundation. Not tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in Mississippi?
Working full time at $15 an hour ($31,200 a year) in Mississippi, a single filer takes home about $26,733 a year, $2,228 a month or $12.85 an hour, after federal tax, FICA and $516 Mississippi income tax.
How much is $15 an hour per month after taxes in Mississippi?
About $2,228 a month, or $1,028 per biweekly paycheck.
How much state tax do I pay on $15 an hour in Mississippi?
About $516 a year (marginal rate 4.00%).