Fastest declining jobs in Missouri, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Missouri, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Missouri's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Missouri run 9.2% below the national average (2024), so a Missouri salary is worth about 1.10× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Missouri.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Missouri

OccupationMedian, Missouri · Growth 2024–34

1Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$37,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,380 – $45,570-24.8%
2Data Entry Keyers—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —-24.7%
3Order Clerks—
Some college, no degree
—
— – —-18.3%
4Print Binding and Finishing Workers$38,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,380 – $58,700-16.5%
5Telemarketers$29,840
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $37,120-16.4%
6Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$54,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,030 – $79,470-15.5%
7File Clerks$38,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,750 – $57,770-15.0%
8Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$37,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,110 – $49,270-14.5%
9Prepress Technicians and Workers$45,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,210 – $62,620-14.2%
10Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$51,770
Bachelor's degree
$37,720 – $80,840-13.3%
11Travel Agents$45,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $64,760-12.9%
12New Accounts Clerks$50,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $62,600-12.8%
13Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$38,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,910 – $48,440-12.7%
14Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$53,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,810 – $67,180-11.9%
15Tellers$36,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,370 – $48,130-11.6%
16Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers$48,240
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $58,080-10.7%
17Cooks, Fast Food$29,890
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $35,290-10.7%
18Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$46,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,430 – $57,870-9.7%
19Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$57,430
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280-9.4%
20Procurement Clerks$48,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,480 – $66,580-8.7%
21Machine Feeders and Offbearers$46,580
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $77,100-8.3%
22Bill and Account Collectors$41,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $63,000-8.2%
23Correctional Officers and Jailers$42,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,210 – $63,940-8.2%
24Helpers--Production Workers$40,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,330 – $56,160-8.0%
25Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators$38,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,190 – $47,050-7.6%
26Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,440 – $71,090-7.3%
27Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$43,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,290 – $60,780-7.0%
28Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers$44,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $57,520-6.9%
29Office Clerks, General$42,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,900 – $62,710-6.7%
30Tool and Die Makers$60,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,560 – $94,550-6.5%
31Cashiers$30,520
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $37,640-6.4%
32Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $69,500-6.4%
33Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$38,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,090 – $76,640-6.3%
34Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,930 – $72,360-6.0%
35Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$38,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,770 – $48,050-6.0%
36Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$47,960
Associate's degree
$37,740 – $65,090-5.9%
37Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,600 – $64,930-5.8%
38Library Technicians$39,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,580 – $48,120-5.8%
39Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,100 – $82,850-5.7%
40Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,140 – $64,030-5.6%
41Floral Designers$34,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,670 – $46,110-5.6%
42Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage$67,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,690 – $96,720-5.5%
43Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$47,990
Some college, no degree
$34,570 – $68,180-5.5%
44Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$44,080
Some college, no degree
$35,090 – $59,480-5.5%
45School Bus Monitors$34,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $36,600-5.4%
46Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$51,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,020 – $59,700-5.4%
47Library Assistants, Clerical$33,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $40,780-5.4%
48Brokerage Clerks—
High school diploma or equivalent
—
— – —-5.3%
49Computer Programmers$90,420
Bachelor's degree
$54,760 – $126,590-5.2%
50Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,300 – $59,770-5.0%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMissouri	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,130	$32,380 – $45,570	-24.8%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	-24.7%
3	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	—	—— – —	-18.3%
4	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,570	$31,380 – $58,700	-16.5%
5	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$29,840	$28,600 – $37,120	-16.4%
6	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,080	$37,030 – $79,470	-15.5%
7	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,400	$29,750 – $57,770	-15.0%
8	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,760	$31,110 – $49,270	-14.5%
9	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,860	$29,210 – $62,620	-14.2%
10	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$51,770	$37,720 – $80,840	-13.3%
11	Travel AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,460	$28,600 – $64,760	-12.9%
12	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,270	$36,600 – $62,600	-12.8%
13	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,940	$35,910 – $48,440	-12.7%
14	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,610	$38,810 – $67,180	-11.9%
15	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,650	$30,370 – $48,130	-11.6%
16	Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom SewersNo formal educational credential	$48,240	$28,600 – $58,080	-10.7%
17	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$29,890	$28,600 – $35,290	-10.7%
18	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,720	$41,430 – $57,870	-9.7%
19	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$42,600 – $75,280	-9.4%
20	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,820	$33,480 – $66,580	-8.7%
21	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$46,580	$31,200 – $77,100	-8.3%
22	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,760	$28,600 – $63,000	-8.2%
23	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,620	$37,210 – $63,940	-8.2%
24	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,580	$34,330 – $56,160	-8.0%
25	Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,860	$30,190 – $47,050	-7.6%
26	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,210	$40,440 – $71,090	-7.3%
27	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,480	$33,290 – $60,780	-7.0%
28	Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,220	$36,600 – $57,520	-6.9%
29	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,370	$29,900 – $62,710	-6.7%
30	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,810	$39,560 – $94,550	-6.5%
31	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$30,520	$28,600 – $37,640	-6.4%
32	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,310	$36,310 – $69,500	-6.4%
33	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,560	$31,090 – $76,640	-6.3%
34	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,660	$35,930 – $72,360	-6.0%
35	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,110	$31,770 – $48,050	-6.0%
36	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$47,960	$37,740 – $65,090	-5.9%
37	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$38,600 – $64,930	-5.8%
38	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,160	$29,580 – $48,120	-5.8%
39	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,290	$34,100 – $82,850	-5.7%
40	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,270	$37,140 – $64,030	-5.6%
41	Floral DesignersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,210	$28,670 – $46,110	-5.6%
42	Insurance Appraisers, Auto DamagePostsecondary nondegree award	$67,950	$60,690 – $96,720	-5.5%
43	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$47,990	$34,570 – $68,180	-5.5%
44	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$44,080	$35,090 – $59,480	-5.5%
45	School Bus MonitorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,220	$28,600 – $36,600	-5.4%
46	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,490	$44,020 – $59,700	-5.4%
47	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$33,760	$28,600 – $40,780	-5.4%
48	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	—	—— – —	-5.3%
49	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$90,420	$54,760 – $126,590	-5.2%
50	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,220	$35,300 – $59,770	-5.0%

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Missouri to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Missouri, 2024–34

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34