How Much Does an RN Make in St. Louis, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in St. Louis, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · St. Louis metro area
A typical RN in St. Louis, Missouri earns $39.99 per hour, or $83,180 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,932 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,440, and the top 10% of earners make over $104,460.
That pay is 2% above the Missouri figure of $81,780 and 15% below the national figure of $97,550. St. Louis ranks 3rd of 8 metro areas in Missouri for RN pay. About 35,200 RNs work in the St. Louis area.
RN pay in St. Louis at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.99 an hour, or $83,180 a year.
- That is 2% above the Missouri figure, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,440; the top 10% make over $104,460.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +42% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in St. Louis?
Pay in St. Louis runs from entry-level positions at around $30.50 an hour to more than $50.22 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in St. Louis
| Career stage | St. Louis | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $63,440$30.50 an hour | $63,230$30.40 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $77,410$37.22 an hour | $76,050$36.56 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $83,180$39.99 an hour | $81,780$39.32 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $100,230$48.19 an hour | $98,560$47.39 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $104,460$50.22 an hour | $104,390$50.19 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the St. Louis area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in St. Louis
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the St. Louis area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in St. Louis was $59,020 a year. By 2025 it had reached $83,180, a change of +41%, compared with +42% for Missouri over the same years.
How St. Louis compares with other Missouri cities
Jefferson City pays RNs the most in Missouri at $85,010 a year, $1,830 more than St. Louis. The lowest-paying area in the state is Joplin at $74,930.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs St. Louis | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson City | $85,010 | $40.87 | +2% | 1,910 |
| 2 | Columbia | $84,330 | $40.54 | +1% | 3,680 |
| 3 | St. Louis | $83,180 | $39.99 | this city | 35,200 |
| 4 | Kansas City | $83,040 | $39.92 | 0% | 29,650 |
| 5 | Cape Girardeau | $82,640 | $39.73 | -1% | 1,470 |
| 6 | Springfield | $79,370 | $38.16 | -5% | 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 St. Louis a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in St. Louis earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $83,180 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the St. Louis area, about 26 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 St. Louis, MO?
- A typical RN in St. Louis earns $83,180 a year, or $39.99 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $63,440 and the top 10% earn over $104,460.
- How much does an RN make an hour in St. Louis?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in St. Louis is $39.99. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.50, and the top 10% earn over $50.22 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in St. Louis?
- Entry-level RN positions in St. Louis typically offer around $30.50 an hour, or $63,440 a year.
- Is RN pay in St. Louis higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- St. Louis pay is 2% above the Missouri figure of $81,780 a year, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state. Jefferson City pays the most in Missouri at $85,010.