Connecting PAs with Healthcare Careers Across the Magnolia State. This page is maintained by Blake Moser, founder of Advanced Practice Recruiters in Tyler, Texas. APR places physician assistants exclusively — surgical, primary care, hospitalist, EM, dermatology, orthopedic, and procedural specialties. Below is what you need to evaluate the Mississippi PA market: salary ranges, the supervision framework, where active hiring is concentrated, and how the search actually runs.
Mississippi offers physician assistants significant opportunities to make a meaningful difference in a state with some of the greatest healthcare needs in the nation. As a state with a high burden of chronic disease and significant rural healthcare shortages, Mississippi depends on physician assistants as essential providers across primary care, emergency medicine, and specialty settings.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson is the state's premier academic medical institution and the primary healthcare hub for Mississippi, offering PA opportunities across medicine, surgery, and specialty care. Major health systems in Hattiesburg, Tupelo, and Biloxi provide additional opportunities throughout the state.
Mississippi has one of the lowest costs of living in the country, making PA salaries provide exceptional purchasing power. Rural Mississippi faces acute provider shortages and offers PAs with the desire to serve underserved populations significant loan repayment incentives and the opportunity to truly impact community health outcomes. Mississippi's warm climate, Southern hospitality, and rich cultural heritage make it a unique and rewarding place to practice.
PA base salaries in our Mississippi searches cluster around $102K, with most offers landing between $88K and $120K. Total compensation typically runs 10–25% above base once productivity bonuses, call pay, sign-on, relocation, CME, malpractice, and retirement match are included. Cost of living in Mississippi sits below national average — material for translating an offer into actual purchasing power.
The factors that move offers most: subspecialty (surgical first-assist, neurosurgery, cardiovascular, EM, dermatology, and orthopedic spine/sports run at the top end), post-certification experience, the supervision model described below, urban-versus-rural placement, employer model (academic system, private group, hospital employment, FQHC, telehealth), wRVU structure, call frequency, and any NCCPA Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ).
Reference data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Physician Assistants (OOH) publishes the national mean wage and Mississippi state-area estimates; AAPA Compensation Resources and the NCCPA Statistical Profile track specialty and credentialing breakdowns.
Supervision model: Required Supervision. Mississippi requires direct physician supervision for physician assistants. PAs must maintain a written supervision agreement, may face a ratio cap per supervising physician, and may have additional limits on prescribing Schedule II–V controlled substances or signing certain orders. The hiring conversation usually centers on supervisor bandwidth, ratio room, and which procedures need cosignature.
Mississippi PAs are licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. A supervision agreement with a licensed Mississippi physician is required. PAs can prescribe medications including controlled substances within the scope of their supervision agreement. NCCPA certification must be maintained.
The metros and regions where we are most often opening PA searches:
Recurring employer relationships in Mississippi include University of Mississippi Medical Center, Forrest General Hospital, North Mississippi Health Services, Singing River Health System, Merit Health, Baptist Memorial Health Care, plus a long tail of regional health systems, surgical and dermatology groups, orthopedic private practices, urgent-care networks, FQHCs, and telehealth platforms credentialed in Mississippi. Procedural and surgical PA roles tend to pay above the state average; rural and Critical Access roles often carry a sign-on or geographic premium.
Every search opens with a 20-minute call to nail down the role: scope, NCCPA certification + any CAQ, procedural case mix, supervision arrangement under Mississippi law, geographic flexibility within the state, and the realistic compensation envelope. From there we work the active and passive PA pool — verifying PA-C status with NCCPA, Mississippi licensure (or licensure-eligibility), DEA, malpractice history, and recent procedural logs for surgical or interventional roles — and present a screened shortlist within a few business days.
The engagement is contingent — no upfront fee and no exclusivity required. Permanent placements carry a written replacement guarantee covering the initial employment period; if the placed PA leaves inside the guarantee window we re-run the search at no additional fee.
Demand pressure in Mississippi is currently high. Nationally, the BLS projects physician assistant employment to grow roughly 28% between 2023 and 2033 — far above the average for all occupations. Mississippi's exceptional need for healthcare providers in both rural and urban settings, combined with the nation's lowest cost of living, creates high-impact PA career opportunities with outstanding financial value.
Physician assistants in Mississippi earn an average salary of approximately $102,000 per year, with ranges between $88,000 and $120,000. While these figures are lower than national averages, Mississippi's cost of living is among the lowest in the nation, creating strong real-world purchasing power. Rural positions often include substantial loan repayment bonuses that significantly boost total compensation.
To practice in Mississippi, PAs must hold NCCPA certification, obtain a license from the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure, and establish a supervision agreement with a licensed Mississippi physician. The agreement specifies the PA's scope of practice and prescriptive authority. DEA registration is required for controlled substance prescribing.
Mississippi has some of the greatest healthcare needs of any US state, and PAs practicing here genuinely improve health outcomes for communities that depend on them. The National Health Service Corps and Mississippi's rural health programs offer significant loan repayment for PAs in shortage areas. The extremely low cost of living allows PAs to achieve strong financial stability. And the state's warm Southern culture and hospitality create rewarding personal and professional connections.
Yes, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson is the state's flagship academic medical institution and offers PA positions across virtually every specialty and subspecialty. UMMC is also home to the state's physician assistant program, creating a PA-positive culture within the institution. Teaching and research opportunities may be available for PAs interested in academic medicine.
Reach Blake Moser at Advanced Practice Recruiters: 469-457-4570 or blake@advancedpracticerecruiters.com. Most inquiries get a same-business-day reply.
Related: PA recruiting (national) · 2026 PA Salary Guide · PA supervision by state · NP recruiters in Mississippi