Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Louis, MO-IL

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

Cost of living: prices in St. Louis, MO-IL run 4.9% below the national average (2024), so a St. Louis, MO-IL salary is worth about 1.05× 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. Louis, MO-IL

OccupationMedian, St. Louis, MO-IL · vs. national

1Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$76,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,890 – $97,610+44.0%
2Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$82,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,210 – $100,810+37.5%
3Construction Laborers$64,500
No formal educational credential
$40,100 – $96,280+36.9%
4Insulation Workers, Mechanical$79,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,420 – $92,990+35.8%
5Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$62,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,790 – $80,080+31.6%
6Structural Iron and Steel Workers$81,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,380 – $97,970+30.0%
7Brickmasons and Blockmasons$77,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,360 – $88,350+24.7%
8Tree Trimmers and Pruners$62,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,200 – $75,190+23.5%
9Dentists, General$210,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$96,300 – $559,260+23.1%
10Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,660 – $77,050+23.1%
11Food Batchmakers$52,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $62,460+23.0%
12Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$60,750
No formal educational credential
$35,880 – $74,860+22.3%
13Electricians$77,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $104,800+22.1%
14Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$48,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,570 – $56,310+21.9%
15Painters, Construction and Maintenance$59,810
No formal educational credential
$40,430 – $83,380+21.1%
16First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$96,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,710 – $120,700+20.9%
17Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$77,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,040 – $121,230+20.7%
18Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$59,040
No formal educational credential
$45,320 – $90,930+20.2%
19Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,680 – $104,110+19.0%
20Maintenance Workers, Machinery$71,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,260 – $94,700+18.1%
21Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,130
Bachelor's degree
$47,850 – $98,170+17.9%
22Carpenters$70,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,000 – $99,550+17.2%
23Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$71,810
Bachelor's degree
$37,880 – $80,840+16.7%
24Automotive Body and Related Repairers$63,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,560 – $81,730+16.5%
25Firefighters$68,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,220 – $102,010+16.3%
26Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,470
Bachelor's degree
$54,290 – $157,350+15.0%
27Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,280 – $78,140+15.0%
28Web Developers$106,360
Bachelor's degree
$68,940 – $129,080+14.8%
29Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$97,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,960 – $213,660+14.8%
30Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,210 – $80,970+14.4%
31Manicurists and Pedicurists$40,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,600 – $54,520+14.2%
32Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$55,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,500 – $85,500+13.7%
33Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,250 – $74,950+13.6%
34Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$64,670
No formal educational credential
$47,240 – $98,420+13.4%
35Security Guards$42,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,460 – $60,590+12.0%
36Parts Salespersons$42,890
No formal educational credential
$29,030 – $59,730+11.0%
37Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,730 – $67,190+9.8%
38Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$103,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,950 – $120,430+9.1%
39Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$38,900
No formal educational credential
$30,750 – $48,640+9.1%
40Couriers and Messengers$42,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,330 – $47,950+8.9%
41Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$53,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,320 – $79,330+8.8%
42Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,900
Associate's degree
$46,350 – $108,410+8.7%
43Logisticians$88,880
Bachelor's degree
$54,980 – $130,170+8.0%
44Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $63,410+7.4%
45Cooks, Short Order$38,490
No formal educational credential
$31,610 – $46,440+7.3%
46Labor Relations Specialists$102,010
Bachelor's degree
$69,430 – $151,070+6.9%
47Sheet Metal Workers$66,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,790 – $107,570+6.9%
48Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$51,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,260 – $80,010+6.6%
49Psychiatric Technicians$47,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,820 – $61,430+6.3%
50Butchers and Meat Cutters$42,660
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $56,720+6.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSt. Louis, MO-IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,800	$45,890 – $97,610	+44.0%
2	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,270	$47,210 – $100,810	+37.5%
3	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$64,500	$40,100 – $96,280	+36.9%
4	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,240	$49,420 – $92,990	+35.8%
5	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,090	$43,790 – $80,080	+31.6%
6	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,640	$50,380 – $97,970	+30.0%
7	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,490	$48,360 – $88,350	+24.7%
8	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,950	$44,200 – $75,190	+23.5%
9	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$210,430	$96,300 – $559,260	+23.1%
10	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,320	$35,660 – $77,050	+23.1%
11	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,000	$36,880 – $62,460	+23.0%
12	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$60,750	$35,880 – $74,860	+22.3%
13	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,170	$46,890 – $104,800	+22.1%
14	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,020	$35,570 – $56,310	+21.9%
15	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$59,810	$40,430 – $83,380	+21.1%
16	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,620	$61,710 – $120,700	+20.9%
17	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,000	$47,040 – $121,230	+20.7%
18	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$59,040	$45,320 – $90,930	+20.2%
19	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,780	$51,680 – $104,110	+19.0%
20	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,840	$51,260 – $94,700	+18.1%
21	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,130	$47,850 – $98,170	+17.9%
22	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,990	$45,000 – $99,550	+17.2%
23	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$71,810	$37,880 – $80,840	+16.7%
24	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,920	$39,560 – $81,730	+16.5%
25	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,970	$39,220 – $102,010	+16.3%
26	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,470	$54,290 – $157,350	+15.0%
27	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,190	$36,280 – $78,140	+15.0%
28	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$106,360	$68,940 – $129,080	+14.8%
29	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$97,120	$58,960 – $213,660	+14.8%
30	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,610	$38,210 – $80,970	+14.4%
31	Manicurists and PedicuristsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,840	$28,600 – $54,520	+14.2%
32	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,960	$40,500 – $85,500	+13.7%
33	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,630	$37,250 – $74,950	+13.6%
34	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$64,670	$47,240 – $98,420	+13.4%
35	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,600	$32,460 – $60,590	+12.0%
36	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$42,890	$29,030 – $59,730	+11.0%
37	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,460	$34,730 – $67,190	+9.8%
38	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,960	$63,950 – $120,430	+9.1%
39	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$38,900	$30,750 – $48,640	+9.1%
40	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,680	$35,330 – $47,950	+8.9%
41	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,930	$36,320 – $79,330	+8.8%
42	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,900	$46,350 – $108,410	+8.7%
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$88,880	$54,980 – $130,170	+8.0%
44	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,020	$35,480 – $63,410	+7.4%
45	Cooks, Short OrderNo formal educational credential	$38,490	$31,610 – $46,440	+7.3%
46	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,010	$69,430 – $151,070	+6.9%
47	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,080	$40,790 – $107,570	+6.9%
48	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,790	$35,260 – $80,010	+6.6%
49	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,970	$36,820 – $61,430	+6.3%
50	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$42,660	$31,200 – $56,720	+6.3%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in St. Louis, MO-IL

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