Is Missouri a good state for your salary to go far?

Missouri ranks #21 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.8 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 90.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Missouri?

Missouri's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 90.8, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Missouri

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Missouri

Missouri ranks #21 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 100.8, base = 100). Cost of living 90.8 (US = 100); top income tax 4.70%.

Does a salary go further in Missouri? (cost of living + state tax)

In Missouri, the cost of living is 90.8 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 100.8 across 370 occupations, ranking it #21 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Missouri ranks #21 of 51 states. Mean across 370 occupations; 100 = the average state, 100.8 means pay goes 0.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

100.8

Real pay by occupation in Missouri (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other	$86,110	$91,331	136.9
Social Workers, All Other	$98,740	$104,584	132.0
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	$130,490	$137,901	131.3
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	$69,400	$73,796	127.4
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers	$59,120	$63,008	125.1
Tree Trimmers and Pruners	$61,140	$65,128	124.0
Construction Laborers	$56,730	$60,500	123.0
Chemical Technicians	$68,550	$72,904	121.5
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity	$60,660	$64,624	121.4
Cooks, Short Order	$38,490	$41,360	120.2
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics	$55,120	$58,811	120.2
Painters, Construction and Maintenance	$57,510	$61,319	120.1
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers	$62,580	$66,639	119.9
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	$48,070	$51,413	119.7
Automotive Body and Related Repairers	$60,540	$64,498	119.4
Brickmasons and Blockmasons	$72,370	$76,912	119.4
Food Batchmakers	$45,690	$48,915	118.9
Structural Iron and Steel Workers	$77,410	$82,201	118.0
Labor Relations Specialists	$93,840	$99,442	117.0
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants	$38,130	$40,982	114.8
Driver/Sales Workers	$40,200	$43,154	114.7
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers	$42,890	$45,977	114.5
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$41,890	$44,928	113.5
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers	$32,350	$34,917	113.3
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers	$61,390	$65,390	113.0
Packers and Packagers, Hand	$37,670	$40,500	112.9
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$54,420	$58,076	112.8
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$87,520	$92,810	112.7
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$49,660	$53,081	112.7
Manicurists and Pedicurists	$39,100	$42,000	112.6
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	$100,130	$106,043	112.6
Couriers and Messengers	$41,410	$44,424	112.6
Business Teachers, Postsecondary	$100,310	$106,232	112.4
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators	$46,480	$49,744	111.6
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers	$31,850	$34,392	111.3
Chefs and Head Cooks	$64,480	$68,633	111.1
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$58,200	$62,043	110.9
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$48,310	$51,665	110.8
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary	$36,300	$39,062	110.6
Electrical Engineers	$118,670	$125,498	110.3

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 370 BLS publishes for Missouri. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (90.8, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Missouri, a $85,000 salary is worth about $89,196 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $3,995 (≈ top marginal 4.70% (upper bound)) · take-home $81,005 · BEA cost of living 90.8 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $6,756 gain over Missouri.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Missouri real pay — FAQ

Is Missouri a good state for your salary to go far?: Missouri ranks #21 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.8 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 90.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Missouri?: Missouri's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 90.8, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS

BLS OEWS and BEA cost-of-living data update roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed rankings.

Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Missouri is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.