How Much Does an RN Make in Kansas City, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Kansas City, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kansas City metro area
A typical RN in Kansas City, Missouri earns $39.92 per hour, or $83,040 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,920 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,970, and the top 10% of earners make over $103,540.
That pay is 2% above the Missouri figure of $81,780 and 15% below the national figure of $97,550. Kansas City ranks 4th of 8 metro areas in Missouri for RN pay. About 29,650 RNs work in the Kansas City area.
RN pay in Kansas City at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.92 an hour, or $83,040 a year.
- That is 2% above the Missouri figure, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,970; the top 10% make over $103,540.
- Typical pay rose +31% from 2015 to 2025, against +42% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Kansas City?
Pay in Kansas City runs from entry-level positions at around $32.20 an hour to more than $49.78 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Kansas City
| Career stage | Kansas City | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $66,970$32.20 an hour | $63,230$30.40 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $77,910$37.46 an hour | $76,050$36.56 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $83,040$39.92 an hour | $81,780$39.32 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $98,700$47.45 an hour | $98,560$47.39 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $103,540$49.78 an hour | $104,390$50.19 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kansas City area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Kansas City
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Kansas City area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Kansas City was $63,260 a year. By 2025 it had reached $83,040, a change of +31%, compared with +42% for Missouri over the same years.
How Kansas City compares with other Missouri cities
Jefferson City pays RNs the most in Missouri at $85,010 a year, $1,970 more than Kansas City. The lowest-paying area in the state is Joplin at $74,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Kansas City | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson City | $85,010 | $40.87 | +2% | 1,910 |
| 2 | Columbia | $84,330 | $40.54 | +2% | 3,680 |
| 3 | St. Louis | $83,180 | $39.99 | 0% | 35,200 |
| 4 | Kansas City | $83,040 | $39.92 | this city | 29,650 |
| 5 | Cape Girardeau | $82,640 | $39.73 | 0% | 1,470 |
| 6 | Springfield | $79,370 | $38.16 | -4% | 6,820 |
| 7 | St. Joseph | $77,240 | $37.13 | -7% | 1,490 |
| 8 | Joplin | $74,930 | $36.03 | -10% | 2,670 |
Every metro area in Missouri with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $81,780
Is Kansas City a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Kansas City earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $83,040 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kansas City area, about 27 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Kansas City, MO?
- A typical RN in Kansas City earns $83,040 a year, or $39.92 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $66,970 and the top 10% earn over $103,540.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Kansas City?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Kansas City is $39.92. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $32.20, and the top 10% earn over $49.78 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Kansas City?
- Entry-level RN positions in Kansas City typically offer around $32.20 an hour, or $66,970 a year.
- Is RN pay in Kansas City higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Kansas City pay is 2% above the Missouri figure of $81,780 a year, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state. Jefferson City pays the most in Missouri at $85,010.