Registered Nurses Salary in Missouri
In Missouri, registered nurses earn a median $81,780 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−16%); the state ranks 40th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 71% more than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Nebraska and Oklahoma pay more (up to $95,990 in Illinois) and Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Arkansas and Iowa pay less (down to $78,630 in Iowa). Missouri employs 76,310 registered nurses, 26.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.20 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 | $30.40 | $36.56 | $39.32 | $47.39 | $50.19 | $41.30 | 76,310 | 25.99 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $63,230 | $76,050 | $81,780 | $98,560 | $104,390 | $85,900 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 40th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.20
- Jobs per 1,000
- 25.99
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 registered nurses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | $40.87 | $85,010 | $63,760 | $136,880 | 1,910 | 23.87 | 1.10 |
| Columbia, MO | $40.54 | $84,330 | $63,080 | $105,790 | 3,680 | 34.22 | 1.57 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $39.99 | $83,180 | $63,440 | $104,460 | 35,200 | 26.25 | 1.21 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $39.92 | $83,040 | $66,970 | $103,540 | 29,650 | 27.05 | 1.24 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $39.73 | $82,640 | $62,620 | $104,830 | 1,470 | 32.96 | 1.52 |
| Springfield, MO | $38.16 | $79,370 | $64,560 | $101,170 | 6,820 | 30.56 | 1.41 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $37.13 | $77,240 | $60,330 | $95,570 | 1,490 | 27.47 | 1.26 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $36.03 | $74,930 | $62,450 | $94,110 | 2,670 | 30.57 | 1.41 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $38.30 | $79,660 | $59,130 | $101,160 | 1,270 | 16.01 | 0.74 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $37.89 | $78,810 | $58,530 | $100,420 | 2,800 | 18.09 | 0.83 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $37.61 | $78,230 | $57,710 | $104,390 | 2,020 | 18.98 | 0.87 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $37.12 | $77,220 | $57,590 | $97,210 | 3,650 | 22.21 | 1.02 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $39.32 | $81,780 | 76,310 | 1.20 |
| Arkansas | $37.95 | $78,940 | 29,400 | 1.04 |
| Iowa | $37.80 | $78,630 | 34,420 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | $46.15 | $95,990 | 138,910 | 1.05 |
| Kansas | $38.14 | $79,320 | 33,800 | 1.08 |
| Kentucky | $38.96 | $81,040 | 50,300 | 1.16 |
| Nebraska | $40.74 | $84,730 | 24,720 | 1.11 |
| Oklahoma | $39.87 | $82,920 | 38,270 | 1.03 |
| Tennessee | $39.18 | $81,500 | 72,200 | 1.01 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (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.