2016 Mississippi Minimum Wage
The 2016 Mississippi Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2016-01-01Source: Job Searching FAQs (Mississippi Department of Employment Security)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2015
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2015.
| Item | 2015 | 2016 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Workers in Mississippi covered by the federal minimum wage
What changed this year, and why
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour remained in effect in Mississippi for 2016, unchanged from 2015.
Common questions
- Does Mississippi have its own state minimum wage?
- Mississippi does not have its own state minimum wage. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour applies in the state.
- What was the minimum wage in Mississippi before 2016?
- The minimum wage in Mississippi was $7.25 per hour in 2015 as well.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The provided document does not contain specific information about who to contact regarding minimum wage questions or how to file a wage complaint in Mississippi. However, since Mississippi follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, workers who have concerns about their pay should contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. This federal agency enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act and handles complaints about unpaid or underpaid wages throughout the state. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security, which published this document, focuses primarily on unemployment insurance and job search services rather than wage enforcement. Workers in Mississippi can also visit the Department of Labor's website or call their local office for assistance with minimum wage questions.
What if I have questions about discrimination, my wages or workers compensation? For frequently asked questions regarding issues resolved by the Department of Labor, such as discrimination, disabilities, veterans, wages, workers compensation, youth and others, or services, such as Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) or Job Corps, select the link below.
Job Searching FAQs (Mississippi Department of Employment Security)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
Mississippi does not set its own minimum wage, so the state defers entirely to the federal rate of $7.25 per hour. When the federal government provides greater employee protections than a state would—such as by maintaining a floor that Mississippi itself does not establish—workers in Mississippi are covered by those federal rules. Because the state has no separate minimum wage law, there is no state rate to compare against the federal rate; the federal standard simply applies. Employers in Mississippi must pay at least $7.25 per hour to covered workers, and they cannot point to a lower state rate as justification for paying less. If the federal rate ever changes, the rate in Mississippi changes with it automatically, since the state has chosen not to set its own floor.
What is minimum wage? The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. There are a few exceptions, however.
Job Searching FAQs (Mississippi Department of Employment Security)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Mississippi does not have its own minimum wage law, so workers there are covered by the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Employers in Mississippi must pay at least this rate unless a narrow federal exception applies. If a city or county in Mississippi ever adopts a higher local minimum wage, employers must follow the local rate only to the extent it is permitted by state and federal law; under current Mississippi law, local governments are not authorized to set a minimum wage different from the state's, which defers to the federal floor. Because Mississippi piggybacks on the federal rate, the rules about who may be paid less than that rate—such as certain minors, full-time students, or workers in training programs—are the federal subminimum-wage rules, not separate state rules. Workers who believe they are being paid less than they should be should contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division rather than a state labor office, since Mississippi relies on the federal standard and has no separate state enforcement mechanism for minimum wage.
What is minimum wage? The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. There are a few exceptions, however.
Job Searching FAQs (Mississippi Department of Employment Security)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Job Searching FAQs (Mississippi Department of Employment Security)
- Hourly
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Other years
Every Mississippi Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state