BAY ST. LOUIS — For Stephanie Rodriguez, Mississippi offers safety, affordability and a quieter lifestyle. 

But for Gunnar Hamm, it was a place he couldn’t wait to leave. Their stories reflect the growing divide in how young adults view life in the Magnolia State — and what’s driving many to look elsewhere for opportunity. 

Mississippi continues to experience what experts call a “brain drain” — a long-running loss of educated, skilled workers who leave the state in search of better pay, more job opportunities and upward mobility.  

Now, workforce development organizations and educators are working to reverse the trend, offering support programs and financial incentives to encourage young people to stay or return, but overcoming low wages, limited industry and deeply rooted cultural perceptions remains a challenge. 

Why people are leaving 

Mississippi’s average hourly earnings are among the lowest in the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the state earn $27.95 per hour on average — lower than neighboring Alabama ($31.15), Arkansas ($29.79), Louisiana ($29.53) and Tennessee ($30.81). 

Meanwhile, the federal and state minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour — unchanged since 2009. A 2023 proposal to raise the rate gradually to $10.50 by 2026 died in committee without a vote. 

“One thing we know here in Mississippi: As our salary increases, so does the cost of insurance — health insurance,” said Erica Jones, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Educators. 

Jones said low pay and lack of support are driving many newly certified teachers — along with other essential workers — to leave the state. 

For others, leaving isn’t just about pay. Hamm, who moved from Lamar County to attend Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, said building professional connections and finding work in the music industry — the field he hopes to pursue — was difficult in Mississippi but has come more easily at the university. 

“I feel like if they had programs (in Mississippi) where they would set up events around town and get students to work on them directly — that’s the kind of things that MTSU is doing that I think is really unique,” he said. 

Hamm said expanding opportunities, promoting existing ones and offering ways for students to explore career paths would make a big difference. 

“If they were given an ounce of a chance, and they’re offered something, a lot of people would take that, but they don’t see that in Mississippi, and so they go elsewhere to find it,” he said. “And I think … actually helping people, rather than just expecting them to do everything on their own can really go a long way for the state.” 

He said combination of wanting strong professional connections and a sense of belonging solidified his decision to move. 

“I feel like people are very judgmental around here — at least the older generation, in my opinion — and so that kept me from really wanting to like stick roots in the ground and stay here,” Hamm said. “I wanted to go somewhere more cultured.” 

Still, he said he’s open to returning to the state one day and hopes to launch his own production company — one that could hire students like him and give them hands-on experience and opportunities he didn’t find at home. 

“If you feel like you have to then leave, but at the same time, I think we need people to stay around to like really enrich the place,” he said. “I’d love to come back and help out with the community.” 

Why some stay 

Even with limited opportunities, some residents believe Mississippi still offers important advantages — including community ties, affordable housing and safety. 

“I stayed because I really like the area here,” Jones, a Jackson resident, said. “Mississippi really is a good place to raise a family.” 

Jones said the state is affordable enough for an educator to purchase a home — a claim supported by data from Construction Coverage, which ranks Mississippi No. 14 for most stable housing markets in the U.S. Since 2000, the state has seen only a 10% drop in housing prices — a sign of long-term stability. 

Rodriguez, a nursing student at the University of Southern Mississippi, said higher pay in other states can be enticing, but when factoring in the cost of living, Mississippi holds a competitive edge. 

“The cost of living, and the gap between the cost of living and the pay you make as a nurse, is better (in Mississippi) than it is in some states even though they make more by the hour,” Rodriguez said. 

She said her decision to move back to Mississippi was also motivated by wanting safety and a good quality of life. 

“I just love Mississippi, to be honest. People are surprised, but it’s just better here than the part of Georgia I was at,” she said. “I live in a good part of Brandon — very calm and quiet. It’s just not as poor and violent as where I used to live.” 

According to World Population Review, Mississippi ranked No. 16  in 2023 for both low overall crime and violent crime. When measured by total crimes per 100,000 people that same year, the state rose to No. 13. 

What’s being done 

To counter the effects of brain drain, workforce development organizations are emphasizing Mississippi’s quality-of-life benefits while also working to close the gap between job skills and employer needs. 

Organizations like the state workforce office, known as AccelerateMS, and initiatives from the Mississippi Department of Education aim to support both students and educators — and to better connect residents with in-demand careers close to home.  

“We try to look for the opportunities that are coming into our state and how we can make sure that the training aligns so that when individuals are trained, they have employment within the community that they’re living in or within a short drive,” said Blaise King, the state office’s director of workforce innovation. 

According to Jones, state support includes housing assistance, moving stipends and student loan relief for early-career teachers — incentives designed to help educators live and work in the communities that need them most. 

Students are also benefiting from tuition-savings programs. The Academic Common Market, offered through the Southern Regional Education Board, allows students to pay in-state tuition at out-of-state schools if their program isn’t available in their home state. Hamm used the program to afford MTSU’s top-ranked audio production degree. 

While the program helps students pursue specialized careers, Hamm said it also highlights the need for more diverse offerings within Mississippi to keep students from leaving in the first place. 

Jones said staying isn’t just about personal preference — it’s about responsibility. 

“When we think about brain drain and we think about our educators who are getting certified and leaving the state, we also think about those communities who may not have educators,” she said. “It not only impacts students, but it also starts to bleed over into the community because our community starts to miss out on individuals who can contribute.” 

Mississippi’s future 

Mississippi is betting long-term investments in training, education and economic development that target high-demand job markets will not only keep more people from leaving — but bring some of them back. 

King pointed to rapidly growing fields — such as electrical construction, HVAC, plumbing and advanced manufacturing — that need skilled workers. Some industries, including those incorporating artificial intelligence, are evolving quickly and offer new potential for the state’s workforce. 

He said health care also remains a priority and is consistently growing, which is why AccelerateMS is exploring strategies to attract Mississippians who’ve left — helping them see the new opportunities available back home. 

According to Results for America, quality jobs improve both individual outcomes and business performance, boosting engagement, retention and lowering turnover costs. 

Looking ahead, workforce experts agree Mississippi is changing — and urge students to pay attention to emerging industries. 

“We want to ensure individuals receive the right training and support so they can build lasting careers in fields like advanced manufacturing, health care and transportation logistics,” King said. “The goal is to help them grow within their chosen industry — not just float from job to job — and ultimately improve their long-term economic opportunities.”