Missouri Paycheck Calculator: Estimate Your Take-Home Pay After Taxes

Missouri Paycheck Calculator: How State and Local Taxes Shape Your Take-Home Pay

You probably know that Missouri is called the “Show-Me state” and even that it’s the birthplace of Mark Twain. But did you know that it has about 3 million workers, many of them in hands-on roles in industries like food and beverage, manufacturing, research and development, and distribution? Kansas City is a major rail and freight crossroads, St. Louis leans into healthcare and financial services, and Springfield is carving out its place as a growing logistics hub. This means a lot of workers are paid hourly or work shifts where overtime and deductions make a big difference to take-home pay.

When you look at your Missouri pay stub, you may find that your net pay is a bit lower than you may have expected. The state runs a progressive income tax system with multiple brackets that currently top out at 4.7%. So the more you earn, the higher the share that goes to state tax. If you live or work in Kansas City or the City of St. Louis and meet local thresholds, you may also see a separate 1% local earnings tax line, which is on top of state and federal withholding.

Here is a full breakdown of how money is withheld from a Missouri paycheck, starting with gross pay and working through every deduction that shapes what you actually take home.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and is not tax advice. Tax rules can change, and individual situations vary. For personal tax questions, consider speaking with a qualified tax professional.

How your Missouri paycheck is calculated: A breakdown

Generally, a Missouri paycheck starts with gross pay, then moves through federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes, Missouri state income tax, and, for residents and workers in Kansas City or the City of St. Louis, a 1% local earnings tax, often referred to as “E-Tax.” Missouri does not have a state disability insurance (SDI) program or paid family leave payroll deduction, so the process can be more straightforward than in some other states.

Part 1: Your gross pay before deductions

Gross pay is the total amount you earn before any taxes or deductions are taken out. For hourly workers, it is your hourly rate multiplied by the hours you worked in that pay period. For salaried employees, it is your annual salary divided by the number of pay periods in the year.

• Missouri minimum wage: Missouri’s minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. For tipped employees, employers must pay at least $7.50 per hour, but total compensation, including tips, must equal or exceed $15.00 per hour. Retail and service businesses with annual gross income under $500,000 are exempt from state minimum wage requirements.
• Overtime: Missouri follows the federal standard. Any hours worked beyond 40 in a fixed workweek must be paid at 1.5x the regular rate under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Part 2: Federal withholding and Missouri’s MO W-4

Your federal W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck. The information you provide, including your filing status, any additional withholding amounts, and claimed dependents, directly affects your federal withholding each pay period. If your life situation changes, updating your W-4 with your employer helps keep your withholding accurate.

Missouri also requires its own form. The MO W-4 tells your employer how much Missouri state income tax to withhold. You are required to submit it within 20 days of being hired. If you do not submit a valid MO W-4, your employer must withhold at the highest rate using “Single” marital status with zero allowances until you provide the form. Submitting an accurate MO W-4 from the start can help prevent overwithholding or an unexpected tax bill at filing time.

Life changes often make it worth revisiting both forms. Getting married, having a child, or picking up a second job can all shift how much should be withheld from your check.

Part 3: Social Security and Medicare (FICA) deductions

Social Security and Medicare are federal payroll taxes withheld from most paychecks, regardless of which state you live in or work in. These are sometimes called FICA taxes. Social Security and Medicare withholding apply the same way in Missouri as they do across the country, making them a consistent part of nearly every worker’s deduction stack.

• 6.2% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base)
• 1.45% for Medicare (no wage ceiling)

Your employer matches those amounts.

Workers with higher earned income may also be subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax. This applies at the federal level and is not specific to Missouri. For payroll withholding, your employer is required to begin withholding the additional 0.9% on wages paid to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year — regardless of your filing status — and continue withholding it each pay period until the end of the year. Your actual liability at filing time is based on combined wages and other self-employment income against filing-status thresholds, so the payroll withholding amount may differ from what you ultimately owe.

After federal taxes and FICA are deducted, Missouri state income tax is calculated.

Part 4: The role of Missouri state income tax

Missouri uses a progressive income tax, meaning the rate you pay increases as your taxable income rises. The state has eight tax brackets, with rates ranging from 0% to 4.7% for the 2025 tax year.

Missouri’s bracket thresholds are the same for all filing statuses. What differs by filing status is the standard deduction, which shifts the point at which taxable income enters each bracket. The standard deduction is $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for married filing combined, $23,625 for head of household, and $15,750 for married filing separately.

In practical terms, most workers earning a typical Missouri salary will see their income taxed across several brackets, with the portion above $9,191 in taxable income subject to the top rate of 4.7%.

Part 5: Local earnings taxes in Kansas City and the City of St. Louis

Two cities in Missouri impose a local earnings tax that may show up as a separate deduction on your pay stub — only if you live and/or work in these jurisdictions and meet local thresholds:

• Kansas City charges a 1% earnings tax. It applies to all Kansas City residents on 100% of their earned income, regardless of where the work is performed. Non-residents who earn income within the Kansas City city limits also owe the tax on those earnings. As of January 1, 2025, filing is handled electronically via Form RD-109.
• The City of St. Louis charges the same 1% earnings tax under the same structure: residents owe it on all earned income, and non-residents owe it on income earned within city limits. The filing form is the E-1 (Individual Earnings Tax Return).

One important distinction: The City of St. Louis is an independent city, entirely separate from St. Louis County. Workers who live and work in suburban St. Louis County do not owe this tax. Workers outside both Kansas City and the City of St. Louis, working elsewhere in Missouri, are not subject to any local earnings tax. Visit the Missouri Department of Revenue for any updates.

Where does your income fall in Missouri?

Missouri’s median household income sits somewhat below the national figure, which can make understanding take-home pay especially meaningful for workers trying to build a stable budget. Across the state, income varies by region, household type, and industry, with workers in larger metros like Kansas City and St. Louis generally earning more than those in smaller cities or rural areas.

For context, Missouri’s median of $71,589 falls notably below the national median of approximately $81,604. A single filer at the Missouri median would have roughly $55,839 in Missouri taxable income after the $15,750 standard deduction, with all income above $9,191 of that taxable amount subject to the 4.7% top rate. A paycheck calculator Missouri workers can use helps translate that bracket math into a real per-paycheck number based on their own pay frequency and deductions.

Note: Estimated taxes are illustrative only, assuming the tax year, filing status, and standard deductions/credits. All figures are estimates and may vary based on individual circumstances and time of filing.

4 ways your take-home pay can change

Your gross pay sets the ceiling, but several factors determine how much of it you actually keep. Here are four areas where your choices can make a measurable difference.

Why does take-home pay feel different in Missouri?

Missouri workers earning the same gross salary can end up with meaningfully different take-home amounts depending on where they live and work within the state. The biggest driver is the local earnings tax. A worker earning $60,000 per year in Springfield owes no local earnings tax and pays only Missouri state income tax on top of federal and FICA. A worker earning the same $60,000 in Kansas City owes the additional 1% earnings tax, which on $60,000 gross equals $600 per year, or roughly $50 less per month in take-home pay, before any other differences.

The cost of living adds another dimension. A one-bedroom apartment in Kansas City averages $1,211 per month, while regular unleaded gas in the Kansas City metro averages $3.270 per gallon. Smaller Missouri cities like Springfield and Joplin carry lower housing costs, which means a lower gross salary in those markets typically can support a comparable lifestyle to a higher gross salary in Kansas City or St. Louis.

Note: Estimated taxes are illustrative only, assuming the tax year, filing status, and standard deductions/credits. All figures are estimates and may vary based on individual circumstances and time of filing.