Average Salaries in Missouri
Explore salaries across 750 occupations in Missouri. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $67.6K, +2.8% 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 2025 estimates. Coverage: 750 occupations and 2,906,800 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 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric. 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.
Highest-paid occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $842.8K | N/A |
| Cardiologists | $648.1K | 150 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $456.3K | N/A |
| Orthodontists | $332.6K | N/A |
| Psychiatrists | $312.7K | 240 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $261.8K | N/A |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $242.6K | 1,550 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $230.1K | 30 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $228.4K | N/A |
| Physicians, All Other | $228K | 3,990 |
Largest occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| General And Operations Managers | 109,020 | $79.3K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 94,810 | $33.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 76,310 | $81.8K |
| Cashiers | 69,430 | $30.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 67,390 | $36.7K |
| Retail Salespersons | 67,140 | $33.5K |
| Office Clerks, General | 56,050 | $42.4K |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 55,780 | $29.9K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 50,530 | $44.2K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 47,760 | $54.6K |
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.
Most concentrated occupations in Missouri
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | 4.61 | $29.9K |
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | 4.51 | $61K |
| Agricultural Engineers | 4.27 | N/A |
| Umpires, Referees, And Other Sports Officials | 4.16 | $33.1K |
| Museum Technicians And Conservators | 3.68 | $49.2K |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 3.47 | $47.3K |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, And Switch Operators And Locomotive Firers | 3.12 | $67.1K |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 3.07 | $53.2K |
| Dancers | 2.87 | N/A |
| Food And Tobacco Roasting, Baking, And Drying Machine Operators And Tenders | 2.67 | $43.5K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
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.
Major metros in Missouri
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $68.1K | 1,313,530 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $67.6K | 1,081,770 |
| Springfield, MO | $60.5K | 216,670 |
| Columbia, MO | $61.9K | 100,050 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $57.7K | 77,770 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $59.3K | 71,540 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $61.6K | 49,370 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $55.4K | 37,990 |
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.