Career Atlas USA

Careers in Missouri

Missouri’s regional price level is below the national average (index 90.817, where 100 = U.S. average, 2024 BEA data).

Unemployment rate: 3.9% · Labor force participation: 64% · 3,079,388 people employed (2026-07, BLS LAUS, not seasonally adjusted).

Highest-Paying Careers

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  1. 1Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$842,800
  2. 2Cardiologists$648,070
  3. 3Emergency Medicine Physicians$456,280
  4. 4Orthodontists$332,630
  5. 5Psychiatrists$312,680

Largest Occupations

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  1. 1General and Operations Managers109,020 employed
  2. 2Home Health and Personal Care Aides94,810 employed
  3. 3Registered Nurses76,310 employed
  4. 4Cashiers69,430 employed
  5. 5Stockers and Order Fillers67,390 employed

Highest Concentration

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  1. 1Cooks, Fast Food4.61× national avg
  2. 2Rock Splitters, Quarry4.51× national avg
  3. 3Agricultural Engineers4.27× national avg
  4. 4Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials4.16× national avg
  5. 5Museum Technicians and Conservators3.68× national avg

Best Purchasing Power

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cost-of-living adjusted

  1. 1Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$928,020
  2. 2Cardiologists$713,600
  3. 3Emergency Medicine Physicians$502,417
  4. 4Orthodontists$366,264
  5. 5Psychiatrists$344,297

Strongest Opportunity Score

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  1. 1Automotive Body and Related Repairers93.5 / 100
  2. 2Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic92 / 100
  3. 3Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders90 / 100
  4. 4Brickmasons and Blockmasons89.2 / 100
  5. 5Helpers--Production Workers87.2 / 100

Sources

Wage and employment data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities. Unemployment rate: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Opportunity Score is a Career Atlas USA calculation — see methodology.