High paying jobs in Columbia, MO

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Columbia, MO. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Columbia, MO run 10.6% below the national average (2024), so a Columbia, MO salary is worth about 1.12× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Columbia, MO

OccupationMedian, Columbia, MO · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$312,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$149,990 – $393,700190
2Nurse Anesthetists$310,170
Master's degree
$215,420 – $310,17090
3Dentists, General$207,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,610 – $352,76060
4Chief Executives$159,890
Bachelor's degree
$78,610 – $377,49090
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$140,040
Bachelor's degree
$109,010 – $173,92050
6Pharmacists$139,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$115,650 – $173,310280
7Physician Assistants$132,220
Master's degree
$107,340 – $161,670140
8Human Resources Managers$130,190
Bachelor's degree
$84,480 – $205,730150
9Computer and Information Systems Managers$129,700
Bachelor's degree
$82,320 – $209,090340
10Nurse Practitioners$128,930
Master's degree
$108,840 – $155,990330
11Natural Sciences Managers$126,440
Bachelor's degree
$88,610 – $185,54050
12Financial Managers$124,120
Bachelor's degree
$77,780 – $232,490660
13Managers, All Other$123,150
Bachelor's degree
$64,850 – $177,490330
14Business Teachers, Postsecondary$120,590
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,640 – $294,100130
15Marketing Managers$119,520
Bachelor's degree
$73,440 – $201,300210
16Education Administrators, Postsecondary$117,570
Master's degree
$77,490 – $314,130390
17Medical and Health Services Managers$111,760
Bachelor's degree
$68,680 – $179,740530
18Computer Network Architects$111,310
Bachelor's degree
$80,080 – $159,67080
19Lawyers$107,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,990 – $217,540400
20Industrial Production Managers$107,880
Bachelor's degree
$71,320 – $194,40080
21Construction Managers$106,210
Bachelor's degree
$75,880 – $148,740150
22Administrative Services Managers$105,640
Bachelor's degree
$57,210 – $167,460190
23Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$105,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,650 – $175,27080
24Engineers, All Other$104,760
Bachelor's degree
$63,170 – $148,31060
25Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$102,540
Master's degree
$81,330 – $175,76050
26Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$102,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,110 – $210,26080
27Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$101,800
Bachelor's degree
$59,700 – $128,05050
28Financial Risk Specialists$101,570
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $173,310140
29Industrial Engineers$101,130
Bachelor's degree
$70,770 – $141,420140
30Software Developers$101,020
Bachelor's degree
$72,850 – $155,760530
31Sales Managers$100,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,560 – $198,030170
32Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$48,290 – $121,82080
33Veterinarians$99,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,180 – $186,870140
34Occupational Therapists$98,550
Master's degree
$71,620 – $129,360160
35Speech-Language Pathologists$97,610
Master's degree
$58,760 – $128,230140
36Information Security Analysts$97,600
Bachelor's degree
$60,390 – $144,660110
37Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$97,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,730 – $102,66080
38Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$56,000 – $120,75040
39Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$95,600
Master's degree
$66,750 – $122,380220
40Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$93,480
Bachelor's degree
$36,910 – $162,12060
41Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$88,540
Associate's degree
$64,590 – $97,96050
42Chemists$87,000
Bachelor's degree
$44,760 – $105,55090
43Dental Hygienists$86,300
Associate's degree
$53,020 – $97,850140
44Facilities Managers$85,740
Bachelor's degree
$61,430 – $136,59080
45Financial and Investment Analysts$85,130
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $118,990100
46Radiation Therapists$84,980
Associate's degree
$70,340 – $103,23060
47Management Analysts$84,870
Bachelor's degree
$59,980 – $126,940290
48Registered Nurses$84,330
Bachelor's degree
$63,080 – $105,7903,680
49Civil Engineers$83,950
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $133,240130
50Physical Therapists$83,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,120 – $120,830280

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbia, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$312,080	$149,990 – $393,700	190
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$310,170	$215,420 – $310,170	90
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,450	$88,610 – $352,760	60
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$159,890	$78,610 – $377,490	90
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,040	$109,010 – $173,920	50
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,430	$115,650 – $173,310	280
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,220	$107,340 – $161,670	140
8	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,190	$84,480 – $205,730	150
9	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,700	$82,320 – $209,090	340
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,930	$108,840 – $155,990	330
11	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,440	$88,610 – $185,540	50
12	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,120	$77,780 – $232,490	660
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$123,150	$64,850 – $177,490	330
14	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$120,590	$50,640 – $294,100	130
15	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,520	$73,440 – $201,300	210
16	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$117,570	$77,490 – $314,130	390
17	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$111,760	$68,680 – $179,740	530
18	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$111,310	$80,080 – $159,670	80
19	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,890	$61,990 – $217,540	400
20	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,880	$71,320 – $194,400	80
21	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,210	$75,880 – $148,740	150
22	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,640	$57,210 – $167,460	190
23	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,640	$61,650 – $175,270	80
24	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,760	$63,170 – $148,310	60
25	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$102,540	$81,330 – $175,760	50
26	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,400	$50,110 – $210,260	80
27	Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,800	$59,700 – $128,050	50
28	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,570	$61,420 – $173,310	140
29	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,130	$70,770 – $141,420	140
30	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,020	$72,850 – $155,760	530
31	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$100,800	$49,560 – $198,030	170
32	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,800	$48,290 – $121,820	80
33	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$99,620	$38,180 – $186,870	140
34	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,550	$71,620 – $129,360	160
35	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$97,610	$58,760 – $128,230	140
36	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,600	$60,390 – $144,660	110
37	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,390	$58,730 – $102,660	80
38	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,990	$56,000 – $120,750	40
39	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$95,600	$66,750 – $122,380	220
40	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$93,480	$36,910 – $162,120	60
41	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$88,540	$64,590 – $97,960	50
42	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$87,000	$44,760 – $105,550	90
43	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,300	$53,020 – $97,850	140
44	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$85,740	$61,430 – $136,590	80
45	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$85,130	$52,000 – $118,990	100
46	Radiation TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,980	$70,340 – $103,230	60
47	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,870	$59,980 – $126,940	290
48	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,330	$63,080 – $105,790	3,680
49	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,950	$66,350 – $133,240	130
50	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,320	$74,120 – $120,830	280

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Columbia, MO. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying jobs in Columbia, MO

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