7. Mississippi — $65K – $80K
Mississippi has one of the lowest RN densities in the country and one of the highest chronic-disease burdens, a combination that keeps the shortage structural rather than cyclical. The Mississippi Hospital Association has flagged rural and Delta-region hospitals as the most exposed, with several closures over the last five years tied directly to staffing.
The state Board of Nursing participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which lets multi-state RNs move in without a new license. That has helped travel and permanent hires arrive faster, but it has not closed the underlying gap in the Delta or along the coast outside Biloxi.
Pay is lower nominally — BLS OES puts the Mississippi RN median near $68K — but rural retention packages push total comp to $65K to $80K with bonuses. Cost of living in Jackson and smaller cities sits well below the national average, which changes the real spending power meaningfully.
