Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Missouri

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

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 · vs. national

1Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$69,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,410 – $98,560+30.1%
2Structural Iron and Steel Workers$77,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,650 – $89,350+23.3%
3Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$130,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,550 – $282,650+21.6%
4Construction Laborers$56,730
No formal educational credential
$37,870 – $83,470+20.4%
5Tree Trimmers and Pruners$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,560 – $70,950+20.0%
6Dentists, General$204,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,610 – $427,970+19.9%
7Brickmasons and Blockmasons$72,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,610 – $85,630+16.5%
8Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,510
No formal educational credential
$39,150 – $79,600+16.4%
9Tax Preparers$62,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,400 – $124,300+14.3%
10Machine Feeders and Offbearers$46,580
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $77,100+13.0%
11Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,020 – $80,080+12.7%
12Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$54,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,630 – $78,410+12.0%
13Web Developers$103,750
Bachelor's degree
$58,140 – $186,260+12.0%
14Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $61,310+11.2%
15Food Processing Workers, All Other$44,050
No formal educational credential
$37,420 – $57,190+11.0%
16Slaughterers and Meat Packers$44,490
No formal educational credential
$34,020 – $49,460+10.9%
17Automotive Body and Related Repairers$60,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,240 – $81,630+10.3%
18First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$87,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,240 – $120,280+9.5%
19Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$41,890
No formal educational credential
$34,930 – $47,850+9.4%
20Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,530 – $63,410+9.4%
21Manicurists and Pedicurists$39,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,600 – $55,240+9.3%
22Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,150 – $55,300+8.9%
23Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,930 – $72,360+8.7%
24Food Batchmakers$45,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,340 – $61,560+8.0%
25Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,390
No formal educational credential
$42,280 – $87,010+7.7%
26Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$38,130
No formal educational credential
$33,800 – $48,410+6.9%
27Security Guards$40,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,040 – $68,860+6.2%
28Massage Therapists$62,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,680 – $101,900+6.2%
29Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$52,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,690 – $83,880+5.6%
30Couriers and Messengers$41,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,560 – $47,950+5.6%
31Maintenance Workers, Machinery$63,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,070 – $84,430+4.7%
32Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$66,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $117,180+4.7%
33Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,190 – $104,110+4.4%
34Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $69,500+4.3%
35Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $75,380+4.1%
36First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$58,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,660 – $103,030+4.0%
37Helpers--Production Workers$40,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,330 – $56,160+3.9%
38Packers and Packagers, Hand$37,670
No formal educational credential
$29,890 – $46,800+3.8%
39Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $61,810+3.7%
40Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,130
Associate's degree
$76,820 – $106,090+3.7%
41Driver/Sales Workers$40,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $57,920+3.7%
42Electricians$65,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,860 – $104,060+3.5%
43Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$51,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,640 – $63,770+3.4%
44Tire Repairers and Changers$38,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,500 – $52,670+3.2%
45Chefs and Head Cooks$64,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,650 – $91,500+3.2%
46Parts Salespersons$39,740
No formal educational credential
$29,190 – $58,820+2.9%
47Sheet Metal Workers$63,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $110,580+2.8%
48Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,120 – $65,260+2.8%
49Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$60,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,030 – $67,040+2.7%
50Nurse Anesthetists$242,630
Master's degree
$177,900 – $362,800+2.6%

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	vs. national
1	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,400	$42,410 – $98,560	+30.1%
2	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,410	$48,650 – $89,350	+23.3%
3	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$130,490	$61,550 – $282,650	+21.6%
4	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,730	$37,870 – $83,470	+20.4%
5	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$37,560 – $70,950	+20.0%
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$204,960	$95,610 – $427,970	+19.9%
7	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,370	$47,610 – $85,630	+16.5%
8	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$57,510	$39,150 – $79,600	+16.4%
9	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,780	$31,400 – $124,300	+14.3%
10	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$46,580	$31,200 – $77,100	+13.0%
11	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,160	$38,020 – $80,080	+12.7%
12	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,420	$36,630 – $78,410	+12.0%
13	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$103,750	$58,140 – $186,260	+12.0%
14	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,070	$36,180 – $61,310	+11.2%
15	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$44,050	$37,420 – $57,190	+11.0%
16	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$44,490	$34,020 – $49,460	+10.9%
17	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,540	$36,240 – $81,630	+10.3%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,520	$57,240 – $120,280	+9.5%
19	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$41,890	$34,930 – $47,850	+9.4%
20	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,930	$37,530 – $63,410	+9.4%
21	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$39,100	$28,600 – $55,240	+9.3%
22	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,890	$34,150 – $55,300	+8.9%
23	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,660	$35,930 – $72,360	+8.7%
24	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,690	$37,340 – $61,560	+8.0%
25	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,390	$42,280 – $87,010	+7.7%
26	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$38,130	$33,800 – $48,410	+6.9%
27	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,390	$31,040 – $68,860	+6.2%
28	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,050	$43,680 – $101,900	+6.2%
29	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,000	$38,690 – $83,880	+5.6%
30	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,410	$33,560 – $47,950	+5.6%
31	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,720	$48,070 – $84,430	+4.7%
32	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,790	$44,780 – $117,180	+4.7%
33	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,390	$45,190 – $104,110	+4.4%
34	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,310	$36,310 – $69,500	+4.3%
35	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,480	$34,670 – $75,380	+4.1%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,200	$44,660 – $103,030	+4.0%
37	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,580	$34,330 – $56,160	+3.9%
38	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$37,670	$29,890 – $46,800	+3.8%
39	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,470	$33,280 – $61,810	+3.7%
40	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,130	$76,820 – $106,090	+3.7%
41	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,200	$28,600 – $57,920	+3.7%
42	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,410	$43,860 – $104,060	+3.5%
43	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,560	$39,640 – $63,770	+3.4%
44	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,920	$29,500 – $52,670	+3.2%
45	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,480	$39,650 – $91,500	+3.2%
46	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$39,740	$29,190 – $58,820	+2.9%
47	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,560	$38,090 – $110,580	+2.8%
48	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,340	$39,120 – $65,260	+2.8%
49	Bus Drivers, Transit and IntercityHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,660	$39,030 – $67,040	+2.7%
50	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$242,630	$177,900 – $362,800	+2.6%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Missouri

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state