Missouri Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Missouri.
The average salary in Missouri is $101,903 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 2 metropolitan areas (Kansas City, St. Louis). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Pediatrician at $232,436 median; 26 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 93, the average median equates to $109,573 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Missouri has 2 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Missouri job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Missouri
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 390 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($271,410)
Dentist
Healthcare · 2,320 jobs in state · top metro: St. Louis ($210,430)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 10,870 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($168,050)
Financial Manager
Finance · 12,160 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($162,490)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 5,550 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($139,460)
Lawyer
Legal · 11,410 jobs in state · top metro: St. Louis ($142,690)
Marketing Manager
Management · 5,800 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($139,240)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 790 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($138,580)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 3,320 jobs in state · top metro: Kansas City ($140,890)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 1,800 jobs in state · top metro: St. Louis ($136,120)
Cities in Missouri
Kansas City, MO
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 95.4
St. Louis, MO
64 occupations tracked · COL index: 90
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Missouri is $101,903 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 2 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Pediatrician at $232,436 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Missouri, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Pediatrician ($232,436), Dentist ($192,563), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($167,529), Financial Manager ($160,296), Pharmacist ($138,972). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/missouri.
26 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Missouri have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Kansas City, MO leads Missouri with an average median salary of $104,337 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Missouri's tracked metros is 93 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $101,903 translates to $109,573 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Missouri, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
128 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.