Lawyers Salary in Missouri
In Missouri, lawyers earn a median $133,450 a year, well below the national median of $159,670 (−16%); the state ranks 23rd of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.8 times the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois and Tennessee pay more (up to $160,800 in Illinois) and Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arkansas pay less (down to $98,880 in Arkansas). Missouri employs 11,560 lawyers, 3.94 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.81 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 | $32.22 | $43.22 | $64.16 | $94.77 | $144.23 | $78.28 | 11,560 | 3.94 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $67,020 | $89,900 | $133,450 | $197,110 | $299,990 | $162,820 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.67 | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 | $89.35 | 754,500 | – | – |
| Annual | $78,360 | $102,990 | $159,670 | $221,370 | $351,600 | $185,840 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 23rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.81
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.94
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 lawyers, 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 | $68.60 | $142,690 | $67,600 | $306,650 | 6,100 | 4.55 | 0.94 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $64.73 | $134,640 | $78,310 | $287,200 | 5,310 | 4.85 | 1.00 |
| Columbia, MO | $51.87 | $107,890 | $61,990 | $217,540 | 400 | 3.73 | 0.77 |
| Springfield, MO | $49.90 | $103,790 | $73,700 | $221,020 | 710 | 3.17 | 0.65 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $46.81 | $97,370 | $48,400 | $208,150 | 100 | 1.88 | 0.39 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $46.25 | $96,190 | $49,550 | $207,480 | 180 | 2.01 | 0.41 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $45.48 | $94,600 | $61,920 | $204,690 | 120 | 2.59 | 0.53 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $44.87 | $93,320 | $69,990 | $172,800 | 490 | 6.11 | 1.26 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $44.61 | $92,780 | $61,920 | $187,230 | 290 | 1.74 | 0.36 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $43.93 | $91,380 | $48,690 | $205,120 | 250 | 1.60 | 0.33 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $40.69 | $84,640 | $48,510 | $212,640 | 150 | 1.44 | 0.30 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $40.48 | $84,200 | $36,850 | $186,840 | 100 | 1.28 | 0.26 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $64.16 | $133,450 | 11,560 | 0.81 |
| Arkansas | $47.54 | $98,880 | 3,430 | 0.54 |
| Iowa | $59.40 | $123,550 | 3,550 | 0.47 |
| Illinois | $77.31 | $160,800 | 33,590 | 1.14 |
| Kansas | $51.28 | $106,650 | 4,190 | 0.60 |
| Kentucky | $48.82 | $101,550 | 5,770 | 0.59 |
| Nebraska | $52.49 | $109,170 | 3,490 | 0.70 |
| Oklahoma | $49.55 | $103,060 | 6,980 | 0.84 |
| Tennessee | $65.47 | $136,180 | 9,010 | 0.57 |
See the national page for Lawyers (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.