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Mississippi state government salary

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This page describes the compensation, salaries, and benefits that Mississippi's public employees receive from state and local government.

State of Mississippi Management and Reporting System shows information on the State Budget, State Property, Revenues, Vendors, and State Employees.

Elected officials' salaries

State Government Employee Salaries[1]
Office '10 Salary Current Official
Governor $122,160[2] Phil Bryant
Lieutenant Governor $61,714 Tate Reeves
Secretary of State $90,000 Delbert Hosemann
Attorney General $108,960 Jim Hood
Treasurer $90,000 Lynn Fitch

The salary of Mississippi's governor ranks 28th among U.S. governors' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. governors is $128,735. The median salary earned by U.S. governors is $129,962.[3]

Legislators' salary

Mississippi state legislators make $10,000 per year.[4] Legislators also receive a per diem of $109 per day plus mileage tied to federal rate.[5]

Judicial salaries

Mississippi Judicial Salaries[6]
Position '09 Salary Current Justice
Chief Justice $115,390 William Waller
Associate Justice $112,530 Jim Kitchens
Associate Justice $112,530 Randy Pierce
Associate Justice $112,530 David Chandler
Associate Justice $112,530 Josiah Coleman
Associate Justice $112,530 Leslie King
Associate Justice $112,530 Jess Dickinson
Associate Justice $112,530 Mike Randolph
Associate Justice $112,530 Ann Lamar

The salary of Mississippi's chief justice ranks 49th among U.S. chief justices' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. chief justices is $155,230. The median salary earned by U.S. chief justices is $151,284.[6]

The salary of Mississippi's associate justices ranks 50th among U.S. associate justices' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $151,142. The median salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $145,984.[6]

State and local employees

According to 2008 Census data, the state of Mississippi and local governments in the state employed a total of 218,186 people.[7] Of those employees, 178,394 were full-time employees receiving a net pay of $536,981,084 per month and 39,792 were part-time employees paid $33,298,846 per month.[7] More than 55% of those employees, or 121,621 employees, were in education or higher education.[7]

Teacher Salaries

Mississippi is among the states where most government employees do not have the right to collective bargaining. [8]

Teacher Salaries [9]
Beginning Teacher Salary Average Salary
$30.090 $44,498

According to state officials, in the 2009-2010 school year the base annual teacher salary with a bachelor's degree was approximately $30,900, as compared to the 2005-2006 base salary of $30,000. The average base salary with a master's degree was $32,960, compared to a base salary with a doctorate degree is $35,020 for the 2009-2010 school year.[10][11]

School year Bachelor's base salary Master's base salary Doctorate base salary
2005-2006[11] $30,000 $32,000 $34,000
2006-2007[12] $30,000 $32,000 $34,000
2007-2008[13] $30,900 $32,960 $35,020
2008-2009[14] $30,900 $32,960 $35,020
2009-2010[10] $30,900 $32,960 $35,020

Conferences

Since 2004, 300 employees from 42 agencies have traveled to conferences outside of the US.[15] Dozens of trips have been made to Puerto Rice by 64 employees. In total for in-state, out-of-state and out-of-country travel, the state has spent around $40 million annually.

State employee benefits

Insurance

Health State employees may choose between two health insurance plans, a base high deductible plan and a select plan. An individual choosing either plan pays nothing for premiums.[16]

Dental Optional dental insurance is offered to employees after one month of service.[17]

Life Group term life insurance available to employees covers 200% of the employee's basic annual earnings rounded to the next higher $1,000 and provides minimum coverage of $30,000 and maximum coverage of $100,000.[18] Employees pay 30 cents per thousand dollars of annual salary.[19]

Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage is available and also covers 200% of the employee's basic annual earnings rounded to the next higher $1,000.[18]

Retirement

The Public Employees Retirement System of Mississippi is the retirement system for eligible public employees who work as regular employees and participation by eligible employees is mandatory.[20] To participate in the Retirement System, an individual must be employed as a regular employee whose employment is anticipated to exceed 4 and ½ months.[21] Employees contribute 7.25% of their salary and the state contributes 12%.[20] To be eligible to apply for a service retirement benefit, a PERS member must have four years of contributing membership service and be age 60 - OR- any age if the member has 25 years of creditable service.[20]

Deferred compensation is a supplemental retirement savings plan offered through the Mississippi Public Employees` Retirement System (PERS) and authorized under Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.[22]

Personal Leave Employees earn 18 days per year earned at the rate of 1½ days per month and are eligible to use after one month of service.[23]

Medical Leave Employees earn 12 days per year at the rate of 1 day per month.[23]

Holidays State employees receive 10 paid holidays per year.[24]

  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert E. Lee's Birthdays
  • Washington's Birthday
  • Confederate Memorial Day
  • Memorial Day / Jefferson Davis' Birthday
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Veteran's Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Other

Will Preparation and Legal Services - Phone access to a national network of accredited attorneys for consultation on simple wills, estate planning documents, and other legal issues.[25]

Travel Assistance– Available 24/7 when traveling more than 100 miles from home for business or pleasure. Includes assistance to locate and access physicians, dentists, medical facilities, and pharmacies; arrange and pay for a medical evacuation or return of mortal remains; and provides interpreters.[26]

Beneficiary Financial Counseling – Beneficiaries who receive at least $25,000 in policy benefits may use an independent beneficiary counseling service through Pricewaterhouse Coopers. They offer advice and counsel with the beneficiary's written consent.[18]

Additional reading

External links

References

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