Mississippi Paycheck Calculator

How to estimate your Mississippi take-home pay in 2026

Mississippi applies a flat 4% state income tax rate on wages after standard deductions, personal exemptions, and a $10,000 income exemption. This calculator estimates your 2026 net pay after federal withholding, FICA payroll taxes, and Mississippi state tax so you can plan monthly expenses and compare job offers with confidence.

Enter your annual salary or build it from hourly wages using our gross pay calculator. If you receive 26 paychecks per year, the biweekly pay calculator shows how gross and net amounts spread across the calendar. For federal tax details and dependent credits, see the income tax calculator and salary calculator.

What gets deducted from a Mississippi paycheck

A typical Mississippi W-2 paycheck includes three layers of mandatory withholding plus any voluntary deductions you elect through your employer:

• Federal income tax: Calculated from 2026 IRS brackets, your W-4 filing status, and qualifying child tax credits.
• FICA taxes: Social Security at 6.2% (capped at the 2026 wage base of $184,500) and Medicare at 1.45%, with an additional 0.9% on wages above $200,000 for single filers. Use our FICA tax calculator to isolate these amounts.
• Mississippi state income tax: A flat 4% applied to Mississippi taxable income after the standard deduction, personal exemption, dependent exemptions, and the $10,000 income exemption.

Mississippi does not levy a separate state disability insurance tax. Pre-tax 401(k) contributions and HSA deposits reduce gross wages before Mississippi taxable income is calculated, lowering overall withholding.

How Mississippi state tax is calculated

Mississippi taxable income starts with gross wages after pre-tax deductions, then subtracts the state standard deduction, personal exemption, and dependent exemptions. The flat 4% rate applies only to income above the $10,000 exemption threshold:

Where Mississippi taxable income equals gross wages after pre-tax deductions minus the standard deduction, personal exemption, and $1,500 per dependent. For 2026, Mississippi standard deductions are $2,300 (single), $4,600 (married filing jointly), and $3,400 (head of household). Personal exemptions are $6,000 (single), $12,000 (joint), and $8,000 (head of household).

Mississippi taxable income in this calculator

Mississippi taxable income is based on gross wages after pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions, not on federally taxable wages. This differs from states like Montana that tax federal taxable income directly. Compare your results with neighboring Louisiana (3% flat rate) and Arkansas (progressive rates).

Worked example: $65,000 salary, single, biweekly, 5% 401(k)

Consider a single Mississippi employee earning $65,000 per year, paid biweekly, contributing 5% to a traditional 401(k), with no dependents or health premium deductions:

1. Pre-tax 401(k): $65,000 x 5% = $3,250 per year
2. Gross after pre-tax: $65,000 - $3,250 = $61,750
3. Mississippi taxable income: $61,750 - $2,300 (standard deduction) - $6,000 (personal exemption) = $53,450
4. Mississippi state tax: ($53,450 - $10,000 exemption) x 4% = $1,738 per year
5. FICA: Social Security and Medicare on the full $65,000 gross (401(k) does not reduce FICA wages)
6. Estimated net per paycheck: About $1,915.75 biweekly after all withholdings

If you expect a performance bonus on top of base salary, estimate the gross amount with our bonus calculator and add it to your annual salary before running this tool.

Mississippi vs. neighboring state tax burdens

Mississippi sits among states with varied tax policies across the Gulf South. Compare your salary against Louisiana (3% flat rate), Arkansas (progressive rates), and Alabama (progressive rates). Running the same inputs through each state calculator reveals how relocation affects your monthly budget.

Frequently asked questions