Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Joplin, MO-KS

Each occupation's median wage in Joplin, MO-KS 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 Joplin, MO-KS pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Joplin, MO-KS run 14.3% below the national average (2024), so a Joplin, MO-KS salary is worth about 1.17× 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 Joplin, MO-KS

OccupationMedian, Joplin, MO-KS · vs. national

1Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$62,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,410 – $77,310+27.5%
2Helpers--Production Workers$47,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,630 – $56,900+22.5%
3Physicians, All Other$324,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,550 – $602,530+21.9%
4Tutors$52,000
Some college, no degree
$28,600 – $56,310+20.0%
5Dentists, General$201,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,370 – $328,780+18.1%
6Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$67,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,510 – $73,540+16.8%
7Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$52,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $56,820+13.8%
8Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,290 – $58,170+12.7%
9Physician Assistants$150,300
Master's degree
$108,670 – $172,330+10.6%
10Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,640 – $60,620+9.5%
11Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,300 – $59,960+8.8%
12Electricians$67,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,810 – $96,890+7.2%
13Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$53,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $78,800+7.0%
14Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,700 – $56,310+6.7%
15Construction Laborers$49,880
No formal educational credential
$36,130 – $73,050+5.9%
16Business Teachers, Postsecondary$103,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $209,060+4.2%
17Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders$48,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,350 – $59,040+3.4%
18Self-Enrichment Teachers$48,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $68,090+3.1%
19Manicurists and Pedicurists$36,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,600 – $48,480+3.1%
20Food Batchmakers$43,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,610 – $61,560+3.1%
21Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,090
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,640+2.5%
22Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$97,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,940 – $107,630+2.5%
23Coaches and Scouts$48,460
Bachelor's degree
$29,260 – $108,220+2.4%
24First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$81,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,930 – $131,090+1.9%
25Printing Press Operators$46,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,970 – $64,880+1.9%
26Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$49,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,740 – $66,600+1.3%
27Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$64,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,210 – $101,640+0.9%
28Maintenance Workers, Machinery$61,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,050 – $75,380+0.8%
29Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,470
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $49,920+0.8%
30Structural Iron and Steel Workers$62,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,280 – $91,210-0.3%
31Security Guards$37,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,530 – $51,740-0.5%
32Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,670
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $37,530-0.6%
33Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,010
No formal educational credential
$30,010 – $46,080-0.7%
34Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$49,250
No formal educational credential
$31,260 – $58,480-0.9%
35Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$45,990
No formal educational credential
$36,870 – $59,440-0.9%
36Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$56,370
No formal educational credential
$36,480 – $76,610-1.1%
37Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,280 – $73,160-1.2%
38Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$47,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,190 – $61,950-1.3%
39Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,040 – $60,960-1.5%
40Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$48,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,720 – $77,360-1.7%
41Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$39,400
No formal educational credential
$30,010 – $54,200-2.1%
42Driver/Sales Workers$37,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $71,990-2.1%
43First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$78,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,940 – $107,540-2.3%
44Parts Salespersons$37,720
No formal educational credential
$29,200 – $57,620-2.4%
45Physical Therapists$100,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,080 – $123,140-2.5%
46Home Health and Personal Care Aides$34,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,660 – $45,270-2.8%
47Postal Service Clerks$60,250
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360-3.0%
48Bus Drivers, School$46,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,720 – $59,480-3.3%
49Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$35,760
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $43,370-4.1%
50Nurse Practitioners$126,640
Master's degree
$104,150 – $154,370-4.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJoplin, MO-KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,460	$40,410 – $77,310	+27.5%
2	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,850	$34,630 – $56,900	+22.5%
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$324,090	$57,550 – $602,530	+21.9%
4	TutorsSome college, no degree	$52,000	$28,600 – $56,310	+20.0%
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$201,820	$86,370 – $328,780	+18.1%
6	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,790	$40,510 – $73,540	+16.8%
7	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,560	$36,400 – $56,820	+13.8%
8	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,170	$35,290 – $58,170	+12.7%
9	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$150,300	$108,670 – $172,330	+10.6%
10	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,980	$38,640 – $60,620	+9.5%
11	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,040	$40,300 – $59,960	+8.8%
12	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,720	$36,810 – $96,890	+7.2%
13	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,840	$37,180 – $78,800	+7.0%
14	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,330	$35,700 – $56,310	+6.7%
15	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$49,880	$36,130 – $73,050	+5.9%
16	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,240	$58,030 – $209,060	+4.2%
17	Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,050	$34,350 – $59,040	+3.4%
18	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,270	$28,600 – $68,090	+3.1%
19	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$36,860	$28,600 – $48,480	+3.1%
20	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,600	$38,610 – $61,560	+3.1%
21	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,090	$42,390 – $81,640	+2.5%
22	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,670	$73,940 – $107,630	+2.5%
23	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$48,460	$29,260 – $108,220	+2.4%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,350	$48,930 – $131,090	+1.9%
25	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,660	$34,970 – $64,880	+1.9%
26	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,860	$31,740 – $66,600	+1.3%
27	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,370	$42,210 – $101,640	+0.9%
28	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,320	$47,050 – $75,380	+0.8%
29	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$40,470	$28,600 – $49,920	+0.8%
30	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,600	$46,280 – $91,210	-0.3%
31	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,830	$29,530 – $51,740	-0.5%
32	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,670	$28,600 – $37,530	-0.6%
33	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,010	$30,010 – $46,080	-0.7%
34	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$49,250	$31,260 – $58,480	-0.9%
35	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,990	$36,870 – $59,440	-0.9%
36	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$56,370	$36,480 – $76,610	-1.1%
37	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,720	$46,280 – $73,160	-1.2%
38	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,960	$38,190 – $61,950	-1.3%
39	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,790	$33,040 – $60,960	-1.5%
40	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,740	$33,720 – $77,360	-1.7%
41	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$39,400	$30,010 – $54,200	-2.1%
42	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,960	$28,600 – $71,990	-2.1%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,110	$49,940 – $107,540	-2.3%
44	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$37,720	$29,200 – $57,620	-2.4%
45	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,150	$76,080 – $123,140	-2.5%
46	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,800	$28,660 – $45,270	-2.8%
47	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$60,250	$42,600 – $76,360	-3.0%
48	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,330	$28,720 – $59,480	-3.3%
49	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$35,760	$28,600 – $43,370	-4.1%
50	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,640	$104,150 – $154,370	-4.3%

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