Electrician Salary in Mississippi: What You Can Earn in 2026

Key Takeaways

• Mississippi electricians average $44,000 - $54,000 per year - below the national BLS median of $62,350 but reflect the state's lower cost of living.
• Mississippi's Gulf Coast casino, shipbuilding, and port industries create industrial electrical demand above the state average.
• Jackson and the Gulf Coast are the strongest markets for electricians in Mississippi.
• Mississippi requires state journeyman and master electrician licensing for independent work.
• Shipbuilding at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula is one of the largest industrial electrician employers in the state.
• The BLS projects 9% growth for electricians through 2034 nationally - Mississippi is expected to grow at a comparable pace.

Electrician Salary in Mississippi

Mississippi is not the first state that comes to mind for electrician careers, but it offers genuine and growing opportunities for licensed electricians, particularly on the Gulf Coast where a combination of casino resort construction and renovation, the massive Ingalls Shipbuilding facility in Pascagoula, and the Port of Gulfport create industrial and commercial electrical work that pays well above what standard residential work offers elsewhere in the state. The cost of living in Mississippi is among the lowest in the country, which means that electrical wages - while below the national median on paper - provide a more comfortable standard of living than the gross numbers suggest.

Mississippi's Jackson metro area is the primary commercial electrical market in the state, driven by healthcare, government, and commercial construction. The state also benefits from ongoing infrastructure investment and FEMA-funded disaster recovery work that creates periodic surges in electrical employment statewide. This guide covers what electricians earn across Mississippi, the licensing process, and the best training options available in the state.

Average Electrician Salary in Mississippi

According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, Mississippi electrician wages are below the national average but reflect the state's low cost structure. Here is a typical salary range by experience level:

• Entry-Level Helper (0-2 years): $28,000 - $36,000 per year
• Registered Apprentice (2-4 years): $36,000 - $46,000 per year
• Journeyman Electrician: $44,000 - $56,000 per year
• Industrial/Shipbuilding Journeyman: $56,000 - $72,000 per year
• Master Electrician: $64,000 - $88,000 per year

Electrician Salary by City in Mississippi

• Jackson: $46,000 - $60,000 per year - largest market with healthcare, government, and commercial construction
• Pascagoula: $56,000 - $74,000 per year - Ingalls Shipbuilding drives exceptional industrial electrical wages
• Gulfport / Biloxi: $50,000 - $66,000 per year - casino resort and port sector create strong commercial demand
• Hattiesburg: $44,000 - $56,000 per year - university and healthcare market in southern Mississippi
• Tupelo: $42,000 - $54,000 per year - manufacturing and regional market in northeast Mississippi
• Meridian: $40,000 - $52,000 per year - regional market with manufacturing and military base work

Mississippi vs. Neighboring States

• Mississippi: approximately $48,000 average - low cost of living makes purchasing power competitive
• Alabama: approximately $52,000 average - similar economy with slightly higher wages
• Louisiana: approximately $60,000 average - higher wages driven by petrochemical industrial premium
• Tennessee: approximately $54,000 average - growing market with no state income tax advantage
• Arkansas: approximately $50,000 average - comparable economy and similar wage levels

License Requirements in Mississippi

• Step 1 - Complete an Apprenticeship: Enroll in a state-approved 4-5 year program through IBEW chapters or ABC Mississippi
• Step 2 - Accumulate 8,000 Training Hours: Log required on-the-job training under a licensed electrician
• Step 3 - Pass the Journeyman Exam: Mississippi requires passing a state licensing exam for journeyman status
• Step 4 - Work as a Journeyman: Gain post-journeyman experience before applying for master status
• Step 5 - Pass the Master Exam: Obtain master electrician license to run your own business and pull permits
• Step 6 - License Renewal: Mississippi requires periodic renewal with continuing education credits

Top Electrician Specialties in Mississippi

• Shipbuilding Electrician: Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula is one of the nation's largest shipbuilders - industrial electrical work with very competitive wages and strong benefits
• Casino Resort Electrician: Gulf Coast casino properties continuously renovate and expand - commercial electricians specializing in hospitality work are in consistent demand
• Healthcare Electrician: Jackson's medical center district and regional hospitals provide steady institutional electrical work throughout the state
• Residential Electrician: Mississippi's growing suburban markets, particularly around the Gulf Coast, create steady new construction demand
• Solar Installation: Mississippi is expanding renewable energy capacity with utility-scale and commercial solar projects creating new electrician work

Job Outlook for Electricians in Mississippi

The BLS projects 9% national growth for electricians through 2034, and Mississippi's market faces a specific challenge and opportunity: the state has historically had fewer licensed electricians relative to population than most states, creating a persistent supply shortage that benefits those who are licensed and looking for work. Ingalls Shipbuilding regularly recruits electricians from across the Gulf Coast region due to the specialized nature of shipbuilding electrical work.

Mississippi is also attracting new manufacturing investment as companies seek lower-cost production locations, and each new manufacturing facility adds industrial electrical employment to the state's mix. The Gulf Coast casino corridor continuously renovates and expands its resort facilities, creating commercial electrical work that is somewhat insulated from the broader construction cycle. Infrastructure investment from federal programs is also adding electrical work across the state in transportation, water systems, and grid modernization.

Is Becoming an Electrician in Mississippi Worth It?

Mississippi electricians have a genuine advantage that is often overlooked: the state has extremely low housing costs, no major traffic congestion costs, and a very low overall cost of living that makes wages stretch significantly further than in most states. A journeyman electrician earning $50,000 in Jackson or $65,000 near Ingalls in Pascagoula can own a home and live comfortably at income levels that would be genuinely difficult in coastal markets. The cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power of Mississippi electrician wages is better than raw numbers suggest.

The shipbuilding path at Ingalls is a distinctive Mississippi career option that is worth understanding. The facility employs thousands of skilled tradespeople including electricians, offers competitive wages for Mississippi, and provides a career path that includes Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) certifications that create a specialized credentials portfolio. Master electricians who start their own businesses in Mississippi's underserved rural markets have very limited competition and can build profitable service businesses serving homeowners and small businesses who have limited local options.

Where to Find Electrician Training in Mississippi

• IBEW Local 480 (Jackson): Primary electrician union and apprenticeship program for the Jackson and central Mississippi market
• IBEW Local 1317 (Gulf Coast): Covers the Gulf Coast market with connections to shipbuilding and casino sector employers
• ABC Mississippi Chapter: Non-union merit shop apprenticeship options available statewide
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College: Electrical programs serving the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula corridor
• Hinds Community College (Jackson): Electrical technology programs serving the Jackson and central Mississippi market

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do electricians make in Mississippi? Mississippi electricians average $44,000 to $54,000 per year statewide. Industrial electricians at Ingalls Shipbuilding or Gulf Coast casino properties earn $56,000 to $72,000. Master electricians running their own businesses can earn $64,000 to $88,000 annually. Mississippi's very low cost of living means these wages provide a significantly more comfortable standard of living than the raw numbers suggest when compared to higher-wage, higher-cost states.

What is the best electrician job in Mississippi? Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula consistently offers the best combination of wages, benefits, and career stability for Mississippi electricians. The facility is a major Navy and commercial shipbuilder with continuous construction and refit work. Gulf Coast casino resort electricians also earn well above the state average, and the work is commercial rather than industrial, making it more accessible to electricians without specialized industrial training.

How do I get an electrician license in Mississippi? Complete a state-approved apprenticeship through IBEW or ABC Mississippi, log 8,000 on-the-job training hours, and pass the Mississippi state journeyman electrician exam. After working as a journeyman for the required period, you can sit for the master electrician exam to operate your own business and pull permits independently throughout the state.