The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s “What Is True?” team investigated the numbers behind Mississippi’s teacher pay raise debate.
Results: These numbers can be misleading.
The Mississippi Legislature passed a teacher pay raise package on April 1. As the package moves to the governor’s desk, RHCJC researchers break down the numbers around Mississippi’s teacher shortage.
According to the Mississippi Department of Education, or MDE, the overall number of students has decreased by 11% over the last decade, from 490,953 in 2014-15 to 435,259 in 2024-25. Higher-ranked districts have experienced less of a decline in student enrollment and, in some cases, even growth. However, the decline has disproportionately hit rural and low-income districts.
Because Mississippi uses enrollment numbers to determine school funding, the drop in enrollment is a cause of concern for both teachers and students.
While student numbers have dropped over the last decade, the overall number of public school teachers has increased by almost 1%, from 32,230 in 2014-15 to 32,540 in 2024-25.
Despite these increases, an MDE survey in December showed there were still 6,907 vacant teaching positions across the state. Vacancies were in highest at-needs districts and critical-needs academic areas: lower elementary, special education and mathematics.
MDE teacher recruitment and retention surveys from 2025 indicate salary and benefit packages continue to be the largest factor for teachers looking to enter or leave the field.
Despite recent historic pay increases, Mississippi continues to have the lowest teacher salaries among neighboring states. Overall, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks Mississippi 46th out of 49 states for teacher pay.
The average annual salary for a Mississippi teacher with a four-year degree is $53,704. However, a teacher would need to work at least 12 years before earning that level of income. The starting salary for a first-year teacher with a four-year degree is $45,500.
While teachers may only be in the classroom for roughly nine to 10 months of the year, they often work an average of 53 hours per week, totaling 2,120 working hours a year. In comparison, a traditional 8-to-5 employee works 2,080 hours.
Note: It is difficult to compare two jobs that require four-year degrees because of the wide variation in job requirements. Teachers do fall within the annual salary range reported by ZipRecruiter for a four-year degree in Mississippi: $33,771 to $83,996. However, they are below the $47,000 average reported by Payroll for entry-level jobs.
About “What Is True?”
The RHCJC “What Is True?” team of graduate investigators investigates everything from viral online posts to local community rumors. If you have a question, submit to “What Is True?” inquiry on the RHCJC website or call 855-IS-IT-TRU (855-474-8878).
