Salaries · United States · Missouri
Salaries in Missouri 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Missouri is $47,800 a year ($22.98 an hour), 6% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 39th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Missouri earn a median of $55,920 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Missouri: the key figures
| Figure | Missouri | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $47,800 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $62,160 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $29,780 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $104,320 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 2,936,050 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $55,920 ± $287 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $70,702 ± $325 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 90.8 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $15.00 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $47,800, a single person keeps about $39,320 a year ($3,277 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Missouri income tax. With prices 9% below the US average, $47,800 here buys what $52,600 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $47,800 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,556 |
| Social Security | -$2,964 |
| Medicare | -$693 |
| Missouri income tax | -$1,267 |
| Take-home a year | $39,320 |
What drives pay in Missouri
Missouri's economy is a broad mix without one dominant high-wage industry. Manufacturing is 10.7% of GDP (US 9.5%), led by food and beverages at 2.4% (US 1.2%), and finance and insurance is 9.2% (US 8.7%), according to BEA. Health care stands out more: hospitals produce 3.6% of GDP (US 2.4%) and pay 5.5% of all employee compensation (US 3.8%).
The most common jobs show the range. General and operations managers top the list, 109,020 of them on a median of $79,300, followed by 94,810 home health and personal care aides on $33,080 and 76,310 registered nurses on $81,780. Fast food cooks, cashiers and waiters all earn medians under $31,000. High pay is thinner than nationally: the 90th percentile is $104,320, against $128,560 for the US. The all-jobs median is $47,800, 6% below the US and 39th of the 50 states and DC, with prices about 9% below the US average.
The job market is holding up better than the nation's. MERIC, the state's labor market research center, counted 28,400 more jobs in September 2026 than a year earlier, led by leisure and hospitality (13,900) and construction (8,800), while the federal government shed 4,100. Unemployment was 3.6%, against 4.2% nationally, and has been at or below the US rate for more than 11 years. The bottom of the scale is also moving: the state minimum wage rose to $15.00 in January 2026, after the May 2025 survey behind these figures, so the 10th percentile shown here, $29,780, predates the increase. Real GDP grew 1.2% in 2025, about half the US rate.
The highest-paid jobs in Missouri
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,550 | $242,630 |
| Physicians, All Other | 3,990 | $227,980 |
| Dentists, General | 2,440 | $204,960 |
| Chief Executives | 2,550 | $172,320 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,740 | $171,180 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 11,130 | $159,460 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 2,250 | $157,800 |
| Financial Managers | 13,330 | $143,460 |
| Pharmacists | 6,740 | $137,610 |
| Physician Assistants | 2,300 | $135,130 |
| Lawyers | 11,560 | $133,450 |
| Human Resources Managers | 3,510 | $130,680 |
| Marketing Managers | 6,550 | $130,550 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 5,700 | $130,490 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 7,710 | $129,930 |
The most common jobs in Missouri
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 109,020 | $79,300 | $38.12 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 94,810 | $33,080 | $15.90 |
| Registered Nurses | 76,310 | $81,780 | $39.32 |
| Cashiers | 69,430 | $30,520 | $14.67 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 67,390 | $36,710 | $17.65 |
| Retail Salespersons | 67,140 | $33,460 | $16.09 |
| Office Clerks, General | 56,050 | $42,370 | $20.37 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 55,780 | $29,890 | $14.37 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 50,530 | $44,190 | $21.24 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 47,760 | $54,550 | $26.23 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 43,050 | $39,080 | $18.79 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 41,640 | $29,400 | $14.13 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 41,070 | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| Nursing Assistants | 34,050 | $37,680 | $18.11 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 33,180 | $50,910 | yearly pay only |
Pay for careers we cover, in Missouri
Official BLS medians for Missouri; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,550 | $242,630 |
| Dentist | 2,440 | $204,960 |
| Pharmacist | 6,740 | $137,610 |
| Physician Assistant | 2,300 | $135,130 |
| Lawyer | 11,560 | $133,450 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 650 | $130,680 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 7,710 | $129,930 |
| Actuary | 390 | $129,220 |
| Elevator Technician | 450 | $126,750 |
| Software Engineer | 20,020 | $126,120 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 260 | $122,200 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 3,260 | $103,440 |
| Commercial Pilot | 670 | $102,990 |
| Financial Analyst | 4,430 | $98,420 |
| Data Scientist | 4,730 | $97,090 |
| Project Manager | 21,460 | $94,660 |
| Dental Hygienist | 3,810 | $92,750 |
| Registered Nurse | 76,310 | $81,780 |
| Accountant | 28,000 | $76,590 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 1,700 | $71,470 |
| UX Designer | 1,210 | $70,970 |
| Compliance Officer | 7,000 | $67,270 |
| Plumber | 8,310 | $66,790 |
| Electrician | 12,780 | $65,410 |
| Paralegal | 7,130 | $61,410 |
| HVAC Technician | 7,220 | $59,950 |
| Welder | 10,600 | $51,950 |
Missouri and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $47,800 | 90.8 | $52,600 |
| Arkansas | $43,630 | 86.9 | $50,200 |
| Illinois | $51,960 | 100.0 | $52,000 |
| Iowa | $48,540 | 87.8 | $55,300 |
| Kansas | $48,010 | 90.1 | $53,300 |
| Kentucky | $46,920 | 90.2 | $52,000 |
| Nebraska | $48,980 | 90.1 | $54,400 |
| Oklahoma | $45,600 | 87.8 | $51,900 |
| Tennessee | $47,380 | 91.9 | $51,600 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Missouri, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development: Missouri Monthly Jobs Report, September 2026, September 2026 report (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations press release: 'Minimum Wage Increases to $15.00 per Hour for 2026', 3 Nov 2025
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