Fastest growing jobs in Missouri, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Missouri. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

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

1Nurse Practitioners$129,930
Master's degree
$100,650 – $162,060+39.5%
2Data Scientists$97,090
Bachelor's degree
$58,960 – $151,380+33.8%
3Information Security Analysts$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$60,700 – $161,430+27.2%
4Medical and Health Services Managers$104,370
Bachelor's degree
$64,620 – $186,430+22.2%
5Operations Research Analysts$62,380
Bachelor's degree
$49,180 – $116,980+21.9%
6Occupational Therapy Assistants$66,070
Associate's degree
$50,990 – $80,930+21.8%
7Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,190 – $104,110+21.0%
8Physician Assistants$135,130
Master's degree
$82,690 – $169,650+20.7%
9Physical Therapist Assistants$63,770
Associate's degree
$50,460 – $79,000+20.2%
10Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$117,630
Bachelor's degree
$86,410 – $180,920+19.8%
11Logisticians$78,350
Bachelor's degree
$49,040 – $124,390+19.2%
12Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$76,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,610 – $119,050+18.9%
13Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$40,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,470 – $50,530+18.0%
14Financial Examiners$79,990
Bachelor's degree
$48,140 – $148,400+17.8%
15Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$130,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,550 – $282,650+17.6%
16Cooks, Restaurant$36,940
No formal educational credential
$28,890 – $46,970+17.1%
17Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$43,520
Associate's degree
$31,940 – $49,260+17.1%
18Pediatricians, General$223,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,850 – $344,020+16.7%
19Psychiatric Technicians$45,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,870 – $55,530+16.6%
20Veterinarians$114,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,270 – $193,860+16.2%
21Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$59,380
Associate's degree
$39,010 – $93,430+16.2%
22Respiratory Therapists$78,390
Associate's degree
$60,950 – $95,730+15.9%
23Financial Managers$143,460
Bachelor's degree
$86,950 – $273,420+15.9%
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$83,090
Bachelor's degree
$43,330 – $130,110+15.6%
25Speech-Language Pathologists$89,280
Master's degree
$58,180 – $119,240+15.2%
26Occupational Therapists$97,290
Master's degree
$71,880 – $120,130+14.9%
27Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,130
Associate's degree
$76,820 – $106,090+14.7%
28Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$56,910
Master's degree
$37,650 – $89,400+14.2%
29Computer and Information Systems Managers$159,460
Bachelor's degree
$95,690 – $216,330+14.1%
30Computer Network Architects$103,130
Bachelor's degree
$62,080 – $168,820+13.5%
31Industrial Engineers$99,290
Bachelor's degree
$65,880 – $143,950+13.4%
32Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$51,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $73,850+13.3%
33Computer Hardware Engineers$103,980
Bachelor's degree
$61,290 – $150,050+13.2%
34Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$36,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,280 – $45,940+13.1%
35Roofers$48,570
No formal educational credential
$38,470 – $78,710+13.1%
36Medical Equipment Repairers$57,340
Associate's degree
$37,320 – $99,420+12.9%
37Medical Equipment Preparers$43,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,510 – $58,420+12.9%
38Software Developers$126,120
Bachelor's degree
$72,570 – $169,340+12.8%
39Athletic Trainers$58,660
Master's degree
$47,540 – $70,910+12.5%
40Personal Financial Advisors$99,930
Bachelor's degree
$51,470 – $313,230+12.4%
41Taxi Drivers$37,560
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $38,020+12.0%
42Agricultural Equipment Operators$46,490
No formal educational credential
$38,140 – $74,990+11.7%
43Medical Assistants$40,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,810 – $48,360+11.6%
44Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$50,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $76,120+11.6%
45Glaziers$51,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,510 – $81,400+11.1%
46Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$54,710
No formal educational credential
$33,330 – $87,140+11.0%
47Stockers and Order Fillers$36,710
No formal educational credential
$29,920 – $49,500+10.8%
48Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$102,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,160 – $173,480+10.7%
49Computer Systems Analysts$92,060
Bachelor's degree
$59,600 – $145,590+10.7%
50Massage Therapists$62,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,680 – $101,900+10.6%

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	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,930	$100,650 – $162,060	+39.5%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$97,090	$58,960 – $151,380	+33.8%
3	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,440	$60,700 – $161,430	+27.2%
4	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,370	$64,620 – $186,430	+22.2%
5	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$62,380	$49,180 – $116,980	+21.9%
6	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,070	$50,990 – $80,930	+21.8%
7	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,390	$45,190 – $104,110	+21.0%
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,130	$82,690 – $169,650	+20.7%
9	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,770	$50,460 – $79,000	+20.2%
10	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$117,630	$86,410 – $180,920	+19.8%
11	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,350	$49,040 – $124,390	+19.2%
12	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$76,340	$48,610 – $119,050	+18.9%
13	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,290	$31,470 – $50,530	+18.0%
14	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$79,990	$48,140 – $148,400	+17.8%
15	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$130,490	$61,550 – $282,650	+17.6%
16	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,940	$28,890 – $46,970	+17.1%
17	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$43,520	$31,940 – $49,260	+17.1%
18	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$223,910	$65,850 – $344,020	+16.7%
19	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,840	$34,870 – $55,530	+16.6%
20	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$114,660	$61,270 – $193,860	+16.2%
21	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$59,380	$39,010 – $93,430	+16.2%
22	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,390	$60,950 – $95,730	+15.9%
23	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,460	$86,950 – $273,420	+15.9%
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,090	$43,330 – $130,110	+15.6%
25	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$89,280	$58,180 – $119,240	+15.2%
26	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,290	$71,880 – $120,130	+14.9%
27	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,130	$76,820 – $106,090	+14.7%
28	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$56,910	$37,650 – $89,400	+14.2%
29	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,460	$95,690 – $216,330	+14.1%
30	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$103,130	$62,080 – $168,820	+13.5%
31	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,290	$65,880 – $143,950	+13.4%
32	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,330	$37,470 – $73,850	+13.3%
33	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,980	$61,290 – $150,050	+13.2%
34	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,660	$30,280 – $45,940	+13.1%
35	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$48,570	$38,470 – $78,710	+13.1%
36	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$57,340	$37,320 – $99,420	+12.9%
37	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,480	$34,510 – $58,420	+12.9%
38	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,120	$72,570 – $169,340	+12.8%
39	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$58,660	$47,540 – $70,910	+12.5%
40	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$99,930	$51,470 – $313,230	+12.4%
41	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$37,560	$28,600 – $38,020	+12.0%
42	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,490	$38,140 – $74,990	+11.7%
43	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,440	$35,810 – $48,360	+11.6%
44	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,640	$36,370 – $76,120	+11.6%
45	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,430	$29,510 – $81,400	+11.1%
46	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$54,710	$33,330 – $87,140	+11.0%
47	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$36,710	$29,920 – $49,500	+10.8%
48	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,540	$64,160 – $173,480	+10.7%
49	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,060	$59,600 – $145,590	+10.7%
50	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,050	$43,680 – $101,900	+10.6%

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 growing jobs in Missouri, 2024–34

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34