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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Are Mississippi teachers paid less than teachers in other states relative to the cost of living?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
YES

Salaries for Mississippi teachers are near the bottom of rankings for teachers' salaries across the U.S., even when adjusting for cost of living, according to the latest analyses from 2019. Multiple rankings placed Mississippi teacher salaries between the second- and fourth-lowest among U.S. states when accounting for regional purchasing-power variations. 

Mississippi teachers' salaries are low enough to qualify mid-career teachers for six or more government benefits—more than in any other state. Other factors also impact Mississippi teachers' finances, including high health insurance premiums for family coverage and higher employee contributions to retirement plans in comparison to other states.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has proposed teacher pay raises over the next three years totalling $3,300, which he says would bump up the state's teacher-pay ranking to the 21st in the country.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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