Cost of hiring in Hattiesburg, MS
BLS counts about 5,210 people in these 15 roles in Hattiesburg1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($81,710 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($29,850), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,280 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Hattiesburg
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | -18.0% | 1,280 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -18.7% | 50 | |
| Executive Assistant | -19.3% | 50 | |
| Office Manager | -19.9% | 680 | |
| Project Coordinator | -20.1% | 190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -20.2% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | -20.6% | 630 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -21.5% | 480 | |
| Accountant | -21.9% | 350 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -24.5% | n/a | |
| Administrative Assistant | -25.1% | 790 | |
| Recruiter | -27.6% | 230 | |
| Paralegal | -28.4% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -35.4% | 160 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -38.3% | 160 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $36,700 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $47,355 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Hattiesburg against the US
Hattiesburg pays below the US median for all 15 roles. The gap is smallest for customer support specialists (-18.0%) and data entry specialists (-18.7%) and largest for marketing specialists (-38.3%). The middle gap across all 15 is -21.5%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for executive assistants, #309 of 509 areas by median pay; its lowest is for medical administrative assistants, #512 of 516.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Hattiesburg has more virtual receptionists (9.2% of these jobs here, against 6.2% nationally) and customer support specialists (24.6% against 17.6%), and fewer executive assistants (1.0% against 3.1%) and sales development representatives (3.1% against 8.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; McAllen-Edinburg, TX is nearest, at -21.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan, AL | -21.1% | 14 | 5,820 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -21.1% | 15 | 4,440 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -21.4% | 14 | 5,090 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -21.5% (this area) | 15 | 5,210 |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -21.6% | 17 | 28,300 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -22.1% | 16 | 7,690 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Hattiesburg span $20,820–$85,010, the widest band (4.1×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $28,660–$41,660. Wider than nationally for executive assistants and marketing specialists, narrower for sales development representatives and data entry specialists. Budget from the median for accountants, sales development representatives, marketing specialists and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($76,970 against a $65,320 median for accountants).
Hattiesburg against Mississippi
Against Mississippi as a whole, Hattiesburg pays more for 3 of 15 roles, led by executive assistants (+11.0%) and project coordinators (+3.6%), and less for 11, most of all marketing specialists (-14.2%). It has the highest median in Mississippi for executive assistants, and the lowest for marketing specialists, sales development representatives and medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Mississippi
By jobs in these roles, Hattiesburg is #7 of 7 areas in Mississippi. The table shows the other 6.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | 25,750 | 17 |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | 16,090 | 17 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 12,820 | 17 |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | 9,210 | 17 |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | 6,720 | 16 |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | 6,110 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Hattiesburg?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $81,710 a year, about $105,432 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $29,850.
Is hiring in Hattiesburg cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 15 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-38.3%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.