Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jefferson City, MO

Each occupation's median wage in Jefferson City, MO compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Jefferson City, MO pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Jefferson City, MO run 12.0% below the national average (2024), so a Jefferson City, MO salary is worth about 1.14× 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 Jefferson City, MO

OccupationMedian, Jefferson City, MO · vs. national

1Tax Preparers$75,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,910 – $122,360+38.4%
2Sheet Metal Workers$79,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,580 – $105,350+28.6%
3Construction Laborers$58,220
No formal educational credential
$36,830 – $99,420+23.6%
4Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$55,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $70,300+22.0%
5Dentists, General$208,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,560 – $343,400+22.0%
6Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$54,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,910 – $59,830+19.6%
7Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$71,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,310 – $89,860+18.9%
8Funeral Attendants$42,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,580 – $50,110+17.8%
9Security Guards$44,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,770 – $73,640+16.9%
10Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,500 – $246,170+16.0%
11Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$60,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,890 – $89,100+14.1%
12Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$44,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,710 – $60,790+13.5%
13Agricultural Inspectors$56,080
Bachelor's degree
$45,390 – $71,800+12.3%
14Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$55,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,630 – $84,570+11.9%
15Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,590 – $60,020+9.8%
16Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,130
No formal educational credential
$35,420 – $57,460+9.5%
17Painters, Construction and Maintenance$54,110
No formal educational credential
$37,400 – $73,730+9.5%
18Printing Press Operators$49,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,100 – $72,770+8.4%
19Roofers$59,820
No formal educational credential
$38,810 – $83,090+7.9%
20Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,480 – $60,990+7.1%
21Electricians$67,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $97,380+7.0%
22Rehabilitation Counselors$49,640
Master's degree
$36,960 – $68,760+6.0%
23Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$49,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,790 – $62,150+3.5%
24First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$82,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,100 – $109,130+3.2%
25Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,280 – $58,820+3.1%
26Packers and Packagers, Hand$37,210
No formal educational credential
$28,910 – $47,530+2.6%
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+2.5%
28Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$58,380
No formal educational credential
$42,410 – $78,690+2.4%
29Computer Network Support Specialists$77,810
Associate's degree
$51,690 – $94,290+2.1%
30Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$47,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,160 – $59,140+1.8%
31Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $66,310+1.8%
32Insurance Sales Agents$63,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,370 – $107,290+1.6%
33Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$96,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,460 – $116,830+1.5%
34Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$48,450
Some college, no degree
$35,180 – $63,780+1.3%
35Industrial Production Managers$126,890
Bachelor's degree
$78,070 – $199,330+0.7%
36Psychiatrists$282,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$196,930 – $351,030+0.1%
37Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$48,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $59,110-0.1%
38Physician Assistants$135,340
Master's degree
$105,440 – $161,140-0.4%
39Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$35,710
No formal educational credential
$34,250 – $35,710-0.4%
40Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,490 – $59,590-0.4%
41Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,570 – $57,850-1.2%
42Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,810 – $75,960-1.5%
43Bus Drivers, School$47,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $57,100-1.8%
44Information and Record Clerks, All Other$48,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,050 – $70,080-1.8%
45Recreation Workers$35,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $50,470-2.3%
46Nurse Practitioners$128,710
Master's degree
$103,470 – $153,190-2.7%
47First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$102,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,150 – $126,200-3.0%
48Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$75,760
Associate's degree
$50,890 – $97,220-3.1%
49Medical Records Specialists$49,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,580 – $72,890-3.1%
50First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$77,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,240 – $123,840-3.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJefferson City, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,990	$49,910 – $122,360	+38.4%
2	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,500	$40,580 – $105,350	+28.6%
3	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$58,220	$36,830 – $99,420	+23.6%
4	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,740	$38,650 – $70,300	+22.0%
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$208,630	$111,560 – $343,400	+22.0%
6	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,850	$47,910 – $59,830	+19.6%
7	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,140	$45,310 – $89,860	+18.9%
8	Funeral AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,020	$34,580 – $50,110	+17.8%
9	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,430	$29,770 – $73,640	+16.9%
10	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$116,670	$57,500 – $246,170	+16.0%
11	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,850	$44,890 – $89,100	+14.1%
12	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,690	$32,710 – $60,790	+13.5%
13	Agricultural InspectorsBachelor's degree	$56,080	$45,390 – $71,800	+12.3%
14	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,080	$42,630 – $84,570	+11.9%
15	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,700	$37,590 – $60,020	+9.8%
16	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,130	$35,420 – $57,460	+9.5%
17	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$54,110	$37,400 – $73,730	+9.5%
18	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,610	$37,100 – $72,770	+8.4%
19	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$59,820	$38,810 – $83,090	+7.9%
20	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,300	$36,480 – $60,990	+7.1%
21	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,630	$38,990 – $97,380	+7.0%
22	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,640	$36,960 – $68,760	+6.0%
23	Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,550	$39,790 – $62,150	+3.5%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,480	$56,100 – $109,130	+3.2%
25	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,730	$37,280 – $58,820	+3.1%
26	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$37,210	$28,910 – $47,530	+2.6%
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	+2.5%
28	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$58,380	$42,410 – $78,690	+2.4%
29	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$77,810	$51,690 – $94,290	+2.1%
30	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,520	$31,160 – $59,140	+1.8%
31	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,450	$37,390 – $66,310	+1.8%
32	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,250	$40,370 – $107,290	+1.6%
33	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,720	$60,460 – $116,830	+1.5%
34	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$48,450	$35,180 – $63,780	+1.3%
35	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,890	$78,070 – $199,330	+0.7%
36	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$282,050	$196,930 – $351,030	+0.1%
37	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,380	$36,860 – $59,110	-0.1%
38	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,340	$105,440 – $161,140	-0.4%
39	Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$35,710	$34,250 – $35,710	-0.4%
40	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,380	$30,490 – $59,590	-0.4%
41	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,100	$36,570 – $57,850	-1.2%
42	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,060	$36,810 – $75,960	-1.5%
43	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,040	$35,830 – $57,100	-1.8%
44	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,630	$35,050 – $70,080	-1.8%
45	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,710	$28,600 – $50,470	-2.3%
46	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,710	$103,470 – $153,190	-2.7%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,840	$66,150 – $126,200	-3.0%
48	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,760	$50,890 – $97,220	-3.1%
49	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,540	$36,580 – $72,890	-3.1%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,250	$49,240 – $123,840	-3.3%

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