Jobs in Missouri — Pay & Openings by City
987,100 professionals employed across 2 major Missouri metro areas (BLS OEWS May 2025). Average salary: $50,202/yr. Top hiring industry: Healthcare.
Last updated: 2026-07-23
Top Industries in Missouri
Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Government, Education are the largest employment sectors in Missouri.
The highest-paying role statewide is typically Dental Hygienist.
Where you work in Missouri changes what the same job pays. Across the roles we track, St. Louis averages $50,904/yr while Kansas City averages $49,500/yr — about a 3% gap. Weigh that against commute and cost of living before ruling a metro out.
Jobs in Missouri by City
Every metro below shows the average median pay and total employment across the 46 roles we track from BLS OEWS May 2025 data, plus links to the biggest role hubs by employment.
| City | Avg Median Pay | People Employed | Biggest Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $50,904 | 545,610 | Operations Manager jobs · Home Health Aide jobs · Registered Nurse jobs |
| Kansas City | $49,500 | 441,490 | Operations Manager jobs · Registered Nurse jobs · Retail Sales Associate jobs |
This hub links 6 role hubs across 2 Missouri metros. Employment = BLS OEWS May 2025, not live openings.
Top-Paying Roles in Missouri
State averages across the Missouri metros above. Each linked guide breaks the number down city by city and links to live openings you can apply to.
| Role | Missouri Average Median |
|---|---|
| Dental Hygienist salary guide | $95,200 |
| Operations Manager salary guide | $91,815 |
| Registered Nurse salary guide | $83,110 |
| Logistics Coordinator salary guide | $77,750 |
| Electrician salary guide | $77,015 |
| Plumber salary guide | $76,575 |
| Carpenter salary guide | $66,400 |
| Warehouse Supervisor salary guide | $63,200 |
| Sales Representative salary guide | $62,905 |
| HVAC Technician salary guide | $62,840 |
| Diesel Mechanic salary guide | $62,425 |
| Bus Driver salary guide | $60,220 |
| Truck Driver salary guide | $59,205 |
| Construction Laborer salary guide | $57,500 |
| Auto Mechanic salary guide | $55,990 |
15 of these roles have full salary guides. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.