Nursing Assistants Salary in Missouri
Nursing Assistants in Missouri have a median of $37,680 a year, below the national $42,260 (−11%); the state ranks 41st of 51 states by median. That is 21% less than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas and Tennessee pay more (up to $45,960 in Illinois) and Oklahoma and Arkansas pay less (down to $34,430 in Arkansas). Missouri employs 34,050 nursing assistants, 11.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 13th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.24 means the occupation is more concentrated 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 | $15.07 | $17.02 | $18.11 | $20.00 | $21.76 | $18.47 | 34,050 | 11.60 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $31,350 | $35,400 | $37,680 | $41,600 | $45,260 | $38,410 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 41st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 13th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.24
- Jobs per 1,000
- 11.60
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 nursing assistants, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | $19.85 | $41,290 | $32,260 | $47,530 | 2,040 | 18.94 | 2.03 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $19.09 | $39,710 | $36,510 | $48,130 | 13,370 | 12.20 | 1.31 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $18.81 | $39,110 | $35,300 | $46,890 | 14,620 | 10.90 | 1.17 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $17.62 | $36,650 | $30,610 | $43,460 | 680 | 15.19 | 1.63 |
| Springfield, MO | $17.39 | $36,180 | $31,240 | $42,220 | 3,150 | 14.13 | 1.52 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $17.35 | $36,080 | $30,060 | $42,830 | 630 | 7.79 | 0.84 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $17.26 | $35,900 | $30,090 | $43,550 | 620 | 11.44 | 1.23 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $16.64 | $34,600 | $31,080 | $40,550 | 1,180 | 13.59 | 1.46 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.35 | $36,080 | $29,870 | $43,740 | 1,890 | 12.22 | 1.31 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.30 | $35,980 | $29,510 | $44,160 | 1,720 | 16.16 | 1.73 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.24 | $35,870 | $29,560 | $43,640 | 2,950 | 17.93 | 1.92 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $16.97 | $35,300 | $30,280 | $38,650 | 1,080 | 13.54 | 1.45 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $18.11 | $37,680 | 34,050 | 1.24 |
| Arkansas | $16.55 | $34,430 | 17,260 | 1.42 |
| Iowa | $18.92 | $39,350 | 22,670 | 1.56 |
| Illinois | $22.10 | $45,960 | 68,640 | 1.21 |
| Kansas | $18.27 | $38,010 | 24,610 | 1.84 |
| Kentucky | $18.45 | $38,370 | 23,410 | 1.26 |
| Nebraska | $19.23 | $40,000 | 16,450 | 1.72 |
| Oklahoma | $17.27 | $35,930 | 19,410 | 1.22 |
| Tennessee | $18.27 | $37,990 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (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.