Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in Missouri
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in Missouri have a median of $39,080 a year, below the national $40,240 (−3%); the state ranks 34th of 51 states by median. That is 18% less than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas pay more (up to $43,490 in Iowa) and Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas pay less (down to $35,920 in Arkansas). Missouri employs 43,050 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, 14.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 23rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.77 means it is less common in Missouri than nationally.
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 | $14.61 | $16.87 | $18.79 | $21.99 | $25.25 | $19.80 | 43,050 | 14.66 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $30,380 | $35,080 | $39,080 | $45,730 | $52,520 | $41,190 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.03 | $17.35 | $19.35 | $22.56 | $26.51 | $20.32 | 2,950,280 | – | – |
| Annual | $31,270 | $36,090 | $40,240 | $46,920 | $55,140 | $42,260 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 34th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 23rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.77
- Jobs per 1,000
- 14.66
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 laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, 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. Joseph, MO-KS | $21.20 | $44,100 | $31,320 | $57,320 | 1,300 | 23.82 | 1.26 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $20.09 | $41,780 | $31,770 | $55,780 | 21,340 | 15.91 | 0.84 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $20.05 | $41,700 | $31,350 | $51,600 | 19,070 | 17.40 | 0.92 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $18.94 | $39,400 | $30,010 | $54,200 | 1,720 | 19.72 | 1.04 |
| Springfield, MO | $18.44 | $38,360 | $29,990 | $51,150 | 3,080 | 13.81 | 0.73 |
| Columbia, MO | $18.30 | $38,070 | $30,880 | $50,910 | 1,250 | 11.62 | 0.61 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $17.51 | $36,430 | $29,670 | $50,820 | 600 | 13.36 | 0.70 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $17.50 | $36,400 | $29,200 | $49,180 | 1,040 | 12.94 | 0.68 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $18.04 | $37,520 | $29,710 | $47,700 | 2,520 | 16.29 | 0.86 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.88 | $37,180 | $30,010 | $47,850 | 1,000 | 12.62 | 0.67 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.57 | $36,540 | $29,160 | $49,340 | 1,710 | 16.10 | 0.85 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.31 | $36,010 | $29,610 | $47,850 | 2,560 | 15.56 | 0.82 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $18.79 | $39,080 | 43,050 | 0.77 |
| Arkansas | $17.27 | $35,920 | 21,430 | 0.87 |
| Iowa | $20.91 | $43,490 | 30,890 | 1.04 |
| Illinois | $19.50 | $40,550 | 195,390 | 1.69 |
| Kansas | $19.35 | $40,250 | 23,270 | 0.85 |
| Kentucky | $20.56 | $42,770 | 57,930 | 1.53 |
| Nebraska | $20.63 | $42,910 | 13,870 | 0.71 |
| Oklahoma | $17.78 | $36,990 | 38,210 | 1.18 |
| Tennessee | $18.35 | $38,160 | 105,870 | 1.70 |
See the national page for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (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.