St. Louis Paycheck Calculator (2026)
Net pay in St. Louis after federal tax, FICA, state and local taxes.
How the St. Louis Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works
This St. Louis paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in St. Louis, Missouri, using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare, Missouri income tax and st. louis earnings tax. St. Louis workers pay Missouri's income tax and a 1% city earnings tax that applies to residents and to people who work in the city. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.
How St. Louis paychecks are taxed
A St. Louis paycheck is taxed federally, by Missouri and by the city. Missouri's brackets top out at 4.7% above about $9,400 of taxable income, so most wages are taxed at 4.7% after the federal standard deduction. On a $65,000 salary Missouri tax is about $2,000 and the city's 1% earnings tax takes about $650. Missouri follows federal treatment of traditional 401(k) contributions.
Use Form MO W-4 for state withholding.
Local taxes and payroll deductions in St. Louis
St. Louis levies a 1% earnings tax on wages of residents and on wages earned in the city by nonresidents, and it is withheld by employers. Voters in St. Louis have approved continuing the tax, and Kansas City has a similar tax. Missouri has no state disability or paid family leave deduction.
Health care, education, manufacturing, aviation and food and beverage companies employ many workers. See the Missouri paycheck calculator for statewide rules.
How much St. Louis workers earn
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area had about 1,341,320 jobs in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $49,990 ($24.03 an hour), 5% above the Missouri median of $47,800 and 2% below the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $66,330, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up; the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck.
After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the Missouri and local taxes in this calculator, a single worker on that $49,990 median takes home about $40,435 a year, or $3,370 a month and $1,555.19 every two weeks.
| Where pay falls | Annual wage | Take-home a year | Per biweekly paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% earn less than | $31,200 | $26,408 | $1,015.70 |
| 25% earn less than | $37,050 | $30,775 | $1,183.66 |
| Median (half earn more) | $49,990 | $40,435 | $1,555.19 |
| 25% earn more than | $78,730 | $60,666 | $2,333.32 |
| 10% earn more than | $115,090 | $84,173 | $3,237.42 |
Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan area. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.
Take-home pay for St. Louis's most common jobs
These are the occupations with the most workers in the St. Louis area. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in St. Louis.
| Job | Workers | Median salary | Take-home a year | Per biweekly paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 46,410 | $93,140 | $69,982 | $2,691.63 |
| Registered Nurses | 35,200 | $83,180 | $63,543 | $2,443.97 |
| Cashiers | 31,130 | $32,380 | $27,289 | $1,049.58 |
| Retail Salespersons | 29,750 | $33,820 | $28,364 | $1,090.92 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 28,940 | $37,840 | $31,365 | $1,206.34 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 23,760 | $45,800 | $37,307 | $1,434.89 |
| Office Clerks, General | 22,540 | $44,980 | $36,695 | $1,411.34 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 21,340 | $41,780 | $34,306 | $1,319.47 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 20,170 | $31,200 | $26,408 | $1,015.70 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 19,680 | $36,620 | $30,454 | $1,171.31 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 19,170 | $31,260 | $26,453 | $1,017.42 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,270 | $58,240 | $46,593 | $1,792.06 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 17,700 | $30,860 | $26,154 | $1,005.94 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 15,000 | $46,200 | $37,606 | $1,446.37 |
| Nursing Assistants | 14,620 | $39,110 | $32,313 | $1,242.81 |
Large occupations tend to pay below the median: 12 of these 15 pay less than the $49,990 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.
Worked example: $65,000 salary in St. Louis
A single St. Louis worker earning $65,000, paid every two weeks and contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k), has gross pay of $2,500.00 per paycheck. Federal income tax after the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 standard deduction is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Missouri state income tax is about $1,995, and st. louis earnings tax at 1% adds about $650.
Net pay is about $49,474 a year, or $1,902.85 per paycheck, which is 76.1% of gross pay. Without the local tax the same worker would keep about $650 more a year. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.
Higher-paying jobs with many openings in St. Louis
Among occupations with at least 2,000 workers in the St. Louis area, these have the highest median pay. Federal tax takes a larger share at these salaries, so compare the take-home column rather than the salary when weighing offers.
| Job | Median salary | Top 10% earn over | Take-home a year | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians (other) | $246,440 | $560,130 | $167,735 | 68% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $167,130 | $217,130 | $116,910 | 70% |
| Financial Managers | $158,780 | $304,260 | $111,679 | 70% |
| Lawyers | $142,690 | $306,650 | $101,599 | 71% |
| Pharmacists | $138,530 | $166,840 | $98,992 | 71% |
| Marketing Managers | $137,900 | $231,700 | $98,598 | 71% |
| Nurse Practitioners | $131,580 | $164,280 | $94,638 | 72% |
| Managers (other) | $130,590 | $217,090 | $94,018 | 72% |
Occupations concentrated in the St. Louis area
A location quotient compares how common a job is locally with its share nationwide: 2.0 means twice as concentrated as the U.S. overall. These occupations stand out in the St. Louis area and say a lot about which industries hire there.
| Job | Workers | Times the U.S. share | Median salary | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 4,480 | 4.2x | $62,090 | $49,468 |
| Telemarketers | 1,210 | 2.4x | $31,480 | $26,617 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 1,070 | 2.4x | $77,490 | $59,865 |
| Machinists | 5,620 | 2.3x | $62,210 | $49,557 |
| Paramedics | 1,890 | 2.2x | $63,050 | $50,184 |
| Computer Occupations (other) | 7,330 | 1.9x | $108,450 | $79,880 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,660 | 1.8x | $76,830 | $59,438 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 2,560 | 1.7x | $103,410 | $76,622 |
St. Louis pay vs. Missouri and the U.S. for popular jobs
Median annual wages for well-known jobs in the St. Louis area, the whole state of Missouri and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.
| Job | St. Louis area | Missouri | U.S. | St. Louis vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $81,780 | $97,550 | 15% below |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $50,910 | $63,970 | 5% below |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,240 | $54,550 | $58,640 | 1% below |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $126,120 | $135,980 | 5% below |
| Electricians | $77,170 | $65,410 | $63,190 | 22% above |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $76,590 | $83,680 | 6% below |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $73,240 | $59,460 | $76,210 | 4% below |
| Nursing Assistants | $39,110 | $37,680 | $42,260 | 7% below |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,820 | $33,460 | $35,410 | 4% below |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,800 | $44,190 | $44,770 | 2% above |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,260 | $30,390 | $31,200 | same |
| Medical Assistants | $44,710 | $40,440 | $45,690 | 2% below |
What hourly jobs pay in St. Louis
The lowest-paid 10% of workers in the St. Louis area earn under $15.00 an hour. Common hourly jobs pay the median rates below; a 40-hour week at that rate takes home the amount shown after 2026 taxes. Check the current Missouri minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.
| Job | Median hourly wage | Gross per 40-hour week | Take-home per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $15.03 | $601.20 | $508.74 |
| Cashiers | $15.57 | $622.80 | $524.87 |
| Retail Salespersons | $16.26 | $650.40 | $545.47 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $20.09 | $803.60 | $659.84 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $17.61 | $704.40 | $585.78 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $18.12 | $724.80 | $601.01 |
Pay by career field in St. Louis
BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across the St. Louis area, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in St. Louis. Management pays the most at a median of $107,830; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $33,040.
| Career field | Workers | Median salary | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | 106,320 | $107,830 | $79,479 | $6,623 |
| Computer and Mathematical | 44,190 | $99,080 | $73,823 | $6,152 |
| Architecture and Engineering | 18,010 | $93,600 | $70,280 | $5,857 |
| Legal | 11,290 | $84,570 | $64,442 | $5,370 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 11,650 | $82,000 | $62,780 | $5,232 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 94,740 | $81,030 | $62,153 | $5,179 |
| Business and Financial Operations | 89,500 | $80,060 | $61,526 | $5,127 |
| Construction and Extraction | 54,470 | $73,130 | $57,046 | $4,754 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 50,320 | $60,830 | $48,527 | $4,044 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 15,260 | $54,240 | $43,607 | $3,634 |
| Community and Social Service | 20,890 | $52,830 | $42,555 | $3,546 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 81,130 | $50,710 | $40,972 | $3,414 |
| Production | 78,420 | $49,660 | $40,189 | $3,349 |
| Protective Service | 28,160 | $49,330 | $39,942 | $3,329 |
| Office and Administrative Support | 149,950 | $46,840 | $38,083 | $3,174 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 110,460 | $44,750 | $36,523 | $3,044 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 1,290 | $42,620 | $34,933 | $2,911 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 39,650 | $37,700 | $31,260 | $2,605 |
| Healthcare Support | 76,470 | $37,270 | $30,939 | $2,578 |
| Sales and Related | 109,560 | $36,830 | $30,611 | $2,551 |
| Personal Care and Service | 28,850 | $34,110 | $28,580 | $2,382 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 120,730 | $33,040 | $27,782 | $2,315 |
How pay grows with experience in St. Louis
The median hides a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% in a job are often new to it, while the top 10% are usually experienced, specialized or in management. The ranges below for common St. Louis jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.
| Job | Bottom 10% earn under | Take-home | Median | Top 10% earn over | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $45,690 | $37,225 | $93,140 | $210,790 | $145,796 |
| Registered Nurses | $63,440 | $50,475 | $83,180 | $104,460 | $77,301 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $34,160 | $28,618 | $45,800 | $65,620 | $52,103 |
| Office Clerks, General | $31,200 | $26,408 | $44,980 | $64,830 | $51,513 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $31,770 | $26,834 | $41,780 | $55,780 | $44,757 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $40,540 | $33,380 | $58,240 | $79,300 | $61,035 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $32,070 | $27,058 | $46,200 | $62,040 | $49,430 |
Cost of living in St. Louis: rent, sales tax and housing
St. Louis is very affordable, with one-bedroom rents around $1,000 to $1,400 a month and low home prices. The combined sales tax rate in the city is about 9.7%, and property taxes are moderate. The cost of living is well below the national average, which offsets modest salaries in many fields.
Hourly wages in St. Louis: what different pay rates take home
Many St. Louis workers are paid by the hour, so here is the estimated take-home pay at common wage rates for a single filer working 2,080 hours a year, using 2026 federal rules and the St. Louis and state taxes in this calculator. The figures assume no pre-tax deductions, so your own paycheck will differ once benefits are included.
| Hourly wage | Annual gross (2,080 hrs) | Annual take-home | Biweekly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $31,200 | $26,408 | $1,016 |
| $20 | $41,600 | $34,172 | $1,314 |
| $25 | $52,000 | $41,935 | $1,613 |
| $35 | $72,800 | $56,833 | $2,186 |
| $50 | $104,000 | $77,003 | $2,962 |
Overtime is taxed as ordinary wages, so an extra hour is worth less than the wage rate after tax. Use the hourly paycheck calculator to include overtime hours and different pay frequencies.
How a 401(k) contribution changes a St. Louis paycheck
On a $65,000 salary with no retirement savings, estimated take-home pay in St. Louis is $51,640 a year. Contributing 6% to a traditional 401(k), which is $3,900, reduces take-home pay by only $3,249 because the contribution lowers federal income tax and, in most cases, state income tax. A 10% contribution of $6,500 lowers take-home pay by $5,415.
In other words, each dollar you save costs roughly 83 cents of take-home pay at this income. If your employer matches contributions, the true cost is even lower, so contributing at least enough to receive the full match is one of the most reliable ways to raise your total pay. Roth contributions cost the full dollar of take-home pay but grow tax-free.
Single or married: a $120,000 household in St. Louis
Filing status changes the outcome even when income is the same. A single filer earning $120,000 in St. Louis takes home about $87,347 a year, while a married couple filing jointly with one earner at $120,000 takes home about $95,634, a difference of $8,287 a year, because the joint standard deduction is $32,200 and the joint brackets are twice as wide.
If both spouses work, each employer withholds as if the job were the only income, which can leave you under-withheld, so use the multiple jobs paycheck calculator and update Form W-4. Head-of-household filers with a qualifying dependent can use the head of household calculator.
Rent and a budget on a typical St. Louis salary
On the $49,990 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,250 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $3,370 monthly take-home pay, that is about $1,685 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $1,011 for wants and $674 for savings and debt payments.
If rents run above $1,250 for the home you want, the usual fixes are a roommate, a longer commute or a second income in the household; the rent affordability calculator tests your own numbers.
Common Questions
What is the average salary in St. Louis?
The median wage in the St. Louis, MO-IL area was $49,990 a year ($24.03 an hour) in May 2025, and the average was $66,330. A single filer on the median takes home about $40,435 a year after 2026 taxes.
What is a good salary in St. Louis?
Earning more than $78,730 puts you in the top quarter of St. Louis-area workers and above $115,090 in the top 10%, based on BLS data for May 2025.
What is the most common job in St. Louis?
General and Operations Managers, with about 46,410 workers in the area and a median salary of $93,140.
Does St. Louis have a city income tax?
Yes. St. Louis charges a 1% earnings tax on residents and on people who work in the city.
Which withholding form applies in St. Louis?
Employees use the federal Form W-4 and Form MO W-4 for Missouri state withholding.
Is this St. Louis paycheck calculator accurate?
It is an estimate using 2026 federal rules and simplified Missouri and local rules. Compare with your pay stub.
How to check this calculator
This calculator shows the tax year, assumptions, inputs, and worked examples used to explain the estimate. Where result tables are provided, you can enter the example values in the calculator and compare the output with the displayed example to reproduce the calculation.
Tax and payroll rules can change, and a calculator estimate is not the same as an employer payroll statement or filed tax return. For an important decision, compare the result with your pay stub and the relevant official IRS, Social Security Administration, Department of Labor, or state guidance. See our methodology and editorial approach for source and review information.
Results are estimates for education only and are not financial, tax or legal advice.