Average Salaries in Missouri
Explore salaries across 751 occupations in Missouri. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $61.6K, +0.1% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 751 occupations and 2,895,030 total jobs in Missouri.
How the state compares
Wages in Missouri track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Missouri has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Nurse Anesthetists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Missouri
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $221.6K | 1,210 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $217.4K | 30 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $217.0K | 2,470 |
| Pediatricians, General | $215.0K | 170 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $213.4K | 660 |
| Physicists | $180.5K | 90 |
| Chief Executives | $158.9K | 4,050 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $156.2K | 550 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $153.7K | 1,960 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $143.7K | 930 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| General And Operations Managers | 105,210 | $77.4K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 91,570 | $29.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 74,270 | $79.8K |
| Cashiers | 69,980 | $29.4K |
| Retail Salespersons | 63,100 | $31.3K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 62,110 | $36.5K |
| Office Clerks, General | 57,870 | $40.4K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 56,190 | $41.9K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 52,590 | $29.5K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 48,540 | $38.0K |
What Missouri specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Missouri than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | 4.22 | $55.2K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 4.16 | $29.5K |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 4.05 | $44.9K |
| Museum Technicians And Conservators | 4.03 | $46.7K |
| Motion Picture Projectionists | 3.15 | $28.3K |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 2.95 | $213.4K |
| Cooling And Freezing Equipment Operators And Tenders | 2.76 | $47.8K |
| Dancers | 2.63 | N/A |
| Foundry Mold And Coremakers | 2.55 | $59.3K |
| Set And Exhibit Designers | 2.50 | $56.1K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
Metros inside Missouri
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in Missouri
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $63.7K | 1,315,170 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $64.6K | 1,085,630 |
| Springfield, MO | $55.9K | 215,310 |
| Columbia, MO | $59.5K | 97,650 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $56.2K | 81,250 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $55.3K | 70,060 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $57.8K | 46,520 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $54.6K | 37,410 |
Common salary questions for Missouri
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.