Bartenders Salary in Missouri
Bartenders in Missouri have a median of $30,090 a year, below the national $34,340 (−12%); the state ranks 27th of 51 states by median. That is 37% less than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois and Nebraska pay more (up to $31,200 in Illinois) and Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Iowa pay less (down to $21,720 in Iowa). Missouri employs 14,410 bartenders, 4.91 per 1,000 jobs, the 19th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.01 is close to the national share.
Missouri vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $13.75 | $13.75 | $14.47 | $19.43 | $26.40 | $18.35 | 14,410 | 4.91 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $28,600 | $30,090 | $40,420 | $54,900 | $38,170 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $9.67 | $13.17 | $16.51 | $22.87 | $35.47 | $19.61 | 756,390 | – | – |
| Annual | $20,110 | $27,400 | $34,340 | $47,570 | $73,770 | $40,790 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 27th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 19th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.01
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.91
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Missouri's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Missouri
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Missouri publish a row for bartenders, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $28,600 | $59,180 | 8,340 | 6.22 | 1.28 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $14.57 | $30,300 | $25,240 | $62,110 | 4,890 | 4.47 | 0.92 |
| Springfield, MO | $14.00 | $29,120 | $28,600 | $46,320 | 950 | 4.26 | 0.88 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $13.94 | $29,000 | $28,600 | $53,000 | 210 | 3.86 | 0.79 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $13.76 | $28,630 | $28,600 | $45,830 | 250 | 3.16 | 0.65 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $46,220 | 280 | 6.31 | 1.30 |
| Columbia, MO | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $46,410 | 680 | 6.32 | 1.30 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $45,410 | 310 | 3.51 | 0.72 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $14.13 | $29,390 | $28,600 | $48,040 | 390 | 3.64 | 0.75 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $14.13 | $29,390 | $28,600 | $48,130 | 950 | 5.75 | 1.18 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $14.13 | $29,390 | $28,600 | $61,360 | 550 | 6.96 | 1.43 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $13.78 | $28,660 | $28,600 | $48,740 | 920 | 5.93 | 1.22 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $14.47 | $30,090 | 14,410 | 1.01 |
| Arkansas | $12.06 | $25,090 | 3,020 | 0.48 |
| Iowa | $10.44 | $21,720 | 9,560 | 1.26 |
| Illinois | $15.00 | $31,200 | 43,010 | 1.45 |
| Kansas | $13.43 | $27,940 | 5,430 | 0.78 |
| Kentucky | $13.84 | $28,780 | 6,870 | 0.71 |
| Nebraska | $14.51 | $30,180 | 7,320 | 1.47 |
| Oklahoma | $11.92 | $24,790 | 5,860 | 0.70 |
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,480 | 10,330 | 0.65 |
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the Missouri wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Missouri estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.