Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 380 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Hattiesburg
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Hattiesburg. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Freedy // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $63,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 2,140 people (34.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 400 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Speech-language pathologists
- Median annual wage: $65,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 90 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $66,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 130 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $66,660
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
AlesiaKan // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Health education specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,670
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $66,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.16
- Total employment: 100 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 100 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,480
- Median hourly wage: $32.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
boonchoke // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Business operations specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 160 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 180 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $69,580
- Median hourly wage: $33.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $72,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $74,140
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 50 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $74,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Flamingo Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Credit analysts
- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 80 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $76,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $77,010
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $78,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 130 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $82,990
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: 170 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $83,000
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: 740 people (11.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $85,750
- Median hourly wage: $41.23
- Total employment: 330 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $85,900
- Median hourly wage: $41.30
- Total employment: 70 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $87,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.92
- Total employment: 90 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $87,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.96
- Total employment: 130 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $91,980
- Median hourly wage: $44.22
- Total employment: 120 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $93,490
- Median hourly wage: $44.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $96,420
- Median hourly wage: $46.36
- Total employment: 70 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,660
- Median hourly wage: $46.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $100,060
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stokkete // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $102,120
- Median hourly wage: $49.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $103,220
- Median hourly wage: $49.62
- Total employment: 230 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $104,540
- Median hourly wage: $50.26
- Total employment: 90 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $105,450
- Median hourly wage: $50.70
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,200
- Median hourly wage: $52.02
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $113,610
- Median hourly wage: $54.62
- Total employment: 300 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $122,880
- Median hourly wage: $59.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $129,010
- Median hourly wage: $62.02
- Total employment: 180 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $194,810
- Median hourly wage: $93.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 160 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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