Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Joseph, MO-KS

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

Cost of living: prices in St. Joseph, MO-KS run 13.6% below the national average (2024), so a St. Joseph, MO-KS salary is worth about 1.16× 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 St. Joseph, MO-KS

OccupationMedian, St. Joseph, MO-KS · vs. national

1Family Medicine Physicians$400,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,930 – $572,400+63.8%
2Electricians$97,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,560 – $116,850+54.1%
3Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$74,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,940 – $101,410+40.2%
4Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$49,140
No formal educational credential
$30,120 – $49,640+37.1%
5Sheet Metal Workers$83,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $110,580+34.4%
6Maintenance Workers, Machinery$76,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,420 – $82,420+25.8%
7Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$66,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,040 – $66,060+22.9%
8Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$54,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,020 – $71,390+21.8%
9Dentists, General$207,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,030 – $363,500+21.4%
10Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$60,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,590 – $74,510+20.3%
11Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$50,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,330 – $58,640+17.8%
12Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,710 – $97,510+17.2%
13Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$57,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,130 – $72,620+15.8%
14Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $59,940+15.0%
15Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $66,840+14.4%
16Food Processing Workers, All Other$45,200
No formal educational credential
$37,800 – $45,200+13.9%
17Machinists$66,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,190 – $73,690+13.0%
18First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$90,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,020 – $127,430+12.7%
19Construction Laborers$51,760
No formal educational credential
$37,220 – $77,630+9.8%
20Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,100
No formal educational credential
$31,320 – $57,320+9.6%
21Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$41,890
No formal educational credential
$38,850 – $47,850+9.4%
22Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $54,580+9.4%
23Production Workers, All Other$43,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,860 – $62,700+8.3%
24Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$60,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,910 – $64,210+7.6%
25Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$54,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,350 – $105,750+7.4%
26Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,430 – $60,190+7.2%
27Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$68,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,660 – $116,580+7.0%
28First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$85,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,860 – $124,350+6.6%
29Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$47,440
No formal educational credential
$40,590 – $51,380+5.9%
30Rehabilitation Counselors$49,420
Master's degree
$36,620 – $63,670+5.5%
31Packers and Packagers, Hand$38,290
No formal educational credential
$30,100 – $48,020+5.5%
32Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$100,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,190 – $128,750+5.3%
33Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$62,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,770 – $88,980+5.1%
34First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$66,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,080 – $97,580+5.0%
35Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,870 – $92,490+5.0%
36Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,780 – $60,710+4.3%
37First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,560 – $103,230+3.9%
38Painters, Construction and Maintenance$51,230
No formal educational credential
$38,070 – $83,440+3.7%
39Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,210 – $78,110+3.6%
40Light Truck Drivers$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,130 – $92,090+3.6%
41Security Guards$39,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,120 – $48,760+3.1%
42Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$58,480
No formal educational credential
$39,540 – $77,640+2.6%
43Recreation Workers$37,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,600 – $44,740+2.5%
44Facilities Managers$108,920
Bachelor's degree
$59,490 – $158,660+2.1%
45Industrial Production Managers$128,370
Bachelor's degree
$83,560 – $180,110+1.8%
46Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,330 – $71,480+1.6%
47Physician Assistants$138,060
Master's degree
$105,490 – $159,780+1.6%
48Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,630 – $85,880+1.5%
49Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,010 – $59,850+1.4%
50Construction Managers$116,540
Bachelor's degree
$73,250 – $152,900+1.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSt. Joseph, MO-KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$400,000	$70,930 – $572,400	+63.8%
2	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,350	$47,560 – $116,850	+54.1%
3	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,760	$46,940 – $101,410	+40.2%
4	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$49,140	$30,120 – $49,640	+37.1%
5	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,060	$35,640 – $110,580	+34.4%
6	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,530	$59,420 – $82,420	+25.8%
7	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,060	$47,040 – $66,060	+22.9%
8	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,400	$30,020 – $71,390	+21.8%
9	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,450	$105,030 – $363,500	+21.4%
10	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,960	$40,590 – $74,510	+20.3%
11	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,930	$39,330 – $58,640	+17.8%
12	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,640	$52,710 – $97,510	+17.2%
13	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,420	$36,130 – $72,620	+15.8%
14	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,020	$38,650 – $59,940	+15.0%
15	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,190	$35,900 – $66,840	+14.4%
16	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$45,200	$37,800 – $45,200	+13.9%
17	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,390	$38,190 – $73,690	+13.0%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,030	$57,020 – $127,430	+12.7%
19	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$51,760	$37,220 – $77,630	+9.8%
20	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,100	$31,320 – $57,320	+9.6%
21	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$41,890	$38,850 – $47,850	+9.4%
22	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,930	$46,220 – $54,580	+9.4%
23	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,420	$31,860 – $62,700	+8.3%
24	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,840	$47,910 – $64,210	+7.6%
25	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,070	$37,350 – $105,750	+7.4%
26	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,560	$41,430 – $60,190	+7.2%
27	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,290	$47,660 – $116,580	+7.0%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,120	$45,860 – $124,350	+6.6%
29	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$47,440	$40,590 – $51,380	+5.9%
30	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,420	$36,620 – $63,670	+5.5%
31	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,290	$30,100 – $48,020	+5.5%
32	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,340	$72,190 – $128,750	+5.3%
33	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,720	$38,770 – $88,980	+5.1%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,010	$44,080 – $97,580	+5.0%
35	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,820	$41,870 – $92,490	+5.0%
36	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,640	$49,780 – $60,710	+4.3%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,370	$55,560 – $103,230	+3.9%
38	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$51,230	$38,070 – $83,440	+3.7%
39	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,850	$33,210 – $78,110	+3.6%
40	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$30,130 – $92,090	+3.6%
41	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,180	$30,120 – $48,760	+3.1%
42	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$58,480	$39,540 – $77,640	+2.6%
43	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,470	$28,600 – $44,740	+2.5%
44	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,920	$59,490 – $158,660	+2.1%
45	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,370	$83,560 – $180,110	+1.8%
46	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,370	$38,330 – $71,480	+1.6%
47	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$138,060	$105,490 – $159,780	+1.6%
48	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,910	$42,630 – $85,880	+1.5%
49	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,890	$35,010 – $59,850	+1.4%
50	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,540	$73,250 – $152,900	+1.3%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Joseph, MO-KS

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