Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Springfield, MO

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

Cost of living: prices in Springfield, MO run 11.4% below the national average (2024), so a Springfield, MO salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Springfield, MO

OccupationMedian, Springfield, MO · vs. national

1Barbers$56,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,120 – $79,060+48.1%
2Family Medicine Physicians$354,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,540 – $429,200+45.3%
3Dentists, General$214,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,550 – $354,750+25.2%
4Residential Advisors$52,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $65,390+24.8%
5Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,920
Bachelor's degree
$30,970 – $82,870+18.7%
6Photographers$52,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,020 – $68,960+17.6%
7Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,940 – $60,170+14.0%
8Massage Therapists$66,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,630 – $111,890+13.2%
9Physicians, All Other$300,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,830 – $481,260+12.8%
10Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$56,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,780 – $96,450+12.8%
11Food Batchmakers$47,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $62,040+11.9%
12Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$106,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,770 – $176,420+10.0%
13Chefs and Head Cooks$67,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $77,790+8.0%
14Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,730 – $60,970+6.6%
15Manicurists and Pedicurists$38,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,600 – $55,240+6.4%
16Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,840
No formal educational credential
$30,760 – $47,540+6.1%
17Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$83,340
Bachelor's degree
$48,310 – $211,700+5.9%
18Couriers and Messengers$41,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,260 – $41,410+5.6%
19Rehabilitation Counselors$49,320
Master's degree
$40,960 – $68,760+5.3%
20Helpers--Production Workers$41,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,810 – $54,120+5.0%
21Automotive Body and Related Repairers$57,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,610 – $81,090+4.7%
22Tire Repairers and Changers$39,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,820 – $64,180+4.4%
23Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$36,920
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $44,040+3.5%
24Tax Preparers$56,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,400 – $112,550+3.5%
25Parts Salespersons$39,880
No formal educational credential
$29,110 – $60,450+3.2%
26Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$98,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,270 – $108,800+2.9%
27Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$46,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,030 – $64,260+2.6%
28Maintenance Workers, Machinery$62,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,070 – $80,160+2.6%
29Security Guards$39,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,060 – $114,760+2.6%
30Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$58,510
No formal educational credential
$39,070 – $80,840+2.6%
31Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$51,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,240 – $78,890+1.7%
32Psychiatric Technicians$45,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,280 – $45,840+1.6%
33Construction Laborers$47,830
No formal educational credential
$36,610 – $76,850+1.5%
34Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,460 – $58,110+1.4%
35Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$37,150
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $59,240+1.3%
36Optometrists$138,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,990 – $174,210+1.2%
37Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,980
No formal educational credential
$48,960 – $75,280+0.9%
38Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,190 – $60,780+0.6%
39Food Preparation Workers$35,340
No formal educational credential
$28,600 – $49,620+0.1%
40Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,730 – $61,230+0.1%
41Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,330 – $61,810-0.4%
42First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,090 – $112,440-0.5%
43Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,600 – $59,440-0.8%
44Loan Officers$76,040
Bachelor's degree
$45,540 – $131,380-0.8%
45Sewing Machine Operators$36,300
No formal educational credential
$30,020 – $44,210-1.0%
46Physical Therapist Aides$34,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $39,870-1.5%
47Skincare Specialists$44,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,960 – $74,340-1.6%
48Emergency Medical Technicians$43,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,690 – $58,710-1.7%
49Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$48,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,470 – $77,750-2.0%
50Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$49,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,330 – $77,460-2.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSpringfield, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	BarbersPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,580	$38,120 – $79,060	+48.1%
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$354,760	$77,540 – $429,200	+45.3%
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$214,100	$124,550 – $354,750	+25.2%
4	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,730	$28,600 – $65,390	+24.8%
5	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,920	$30,970 – $82,870	+18.7%
6	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,510	$32,020 – $68,960	+17.6%
7	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,250	$35,940 – $60,170	+14.0%
8	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,150	$44,630 – $111,890	+13.2%
9	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$300,000	$90,830 – $481,260	+12.8%
10	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,760	$36,780 – $96,450	+12.8%
11	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,330	$37,380 – $62,040	+11.9%
12	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,630	$59,770 – $176,420	+10.0%
13	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,460	$36,960 – $77,790	+8.0%
14	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,660	$39,730 – $60,970	+6.6%
15	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,060	$28,600 – $55,240	+6.4%
16	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,840	$30,760 – $47,540	+6.1%
17	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$83,340	$48,310 – $211,700	+5.9%
18	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,410	$38,260 – $41,410	+5.6%
19	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,320	$40,960 – $68,760	+5.3%
20	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,040	$31,810 – $54,120	+5.0%
21	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,470	$35,610 – $81,090	+4.7%
22	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,370	$29,820 – $64,180	+4.4%
23	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$36,920	$31,200 – $44,040	+3.5%
24	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,820	$31,400 – $112,550	+3.5%
25	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$39,880	$29,110 – $60,450	+3.2%
26	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,090	$69,270 – $108,800	+2.9%
27	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,880	$31,030 – $64,260	+2.6%
28	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,410	$48,070 – $80,160	+2.6%
29	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,010	$30,060 – $114,760	+2.6%
30	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$58,510	$39,070 – $80,840	+2.6%
31	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,540	$37,240 – $78,890	+1.7%
32	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,840	$35,280 – $45,840	+1.6%
33	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$47,830	$36,610 – $76,850	+1.5%
34	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,270	$35,460 – $58,110	+1.4%
35	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$37,150	$28,600 – $59,240	+1.3%
36	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,160	$95,990 – $174,210	+1.2%
37	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,980	$48,960 – $75,280	+0.9%
38	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,080	$38,190 – $60,780	+0.6%
39	Food Preparation WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,340	$28,600 – $49,620	+0.1%
40	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,620	$31,730 – $61,230	+0.1%
41	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,170	$36,330 – $61,810	-0.4%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,540	$54,090 – $112,440	-0.5%
43	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,170	$39,600 – $59,440	-0.8%
44	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$76,040	$45,540 – $131,380	-0.8%
45	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,300	$30,020 – $44,210	-1.0%
46	Physical Therapist AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,720	$28,600 – $39,870	-1.5%
47	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,620	$32,960 – $74,340	-1.6%
48	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,700	$37,690 – $58,710	-1.7%
49	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,230	$40,470 – $77,750	-2.0%
50	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,570	$31,330 – $77,460	-2.1%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Springfield, MO

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