Retail salespersons, office clerks, cashiers, food service workers and registered nurses represent the 5 largest occupations in Missouri based upon the number employed. These five occupations employ 358,500 in the state.
The state's Top 30 employing occupations account for nearly 1.1 million jobs (1,091,780) or 41 percent of all jobs in the state. Combined the Top 30 pay an average hourly wage of $13.13 or $28,997 annually.i The pay ranges from $7.11 per hour for waiters and waitresses to $40.03 hourly for general and operations managers. The state average hourly wage for all jobs is $16.61 or $34,548 annually.ii All occupations listed, except for Security Guards, were in the Top 30 in the last survey period. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are the only occupation to fall off the list from the prior survey.
The table below presents the average wages and total employment for the top thirty employing occupations in Missouri.
| Occupation | Employment | Average Hourly Wages | Annual Average Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 91,600 | $10.94 | $22,760 |
| Office Clerks, General | 82,360 | $10.95 | $22,790 |
| Cashiers | 74,640 | $7.93 | $16,490 |
| Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 56,270 | $7.21 | $15,010 |
| Registered Nurses | 53,630 | $23.18 | $48,220 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 49,520 | $7.11 | $14,790 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 43,170 | $10.57 | $21,990 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 41,760 | $13.79 | $28,680 |
| Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer | 41,430 | $17.66 | $36,730 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 41,370 | $9.23 | $19,200 |
| Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants | 39,420 | $9.23 | $19,190 |
| Team Assemblers | 38,380 | $13.91 | $28,930 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 34,240 | $13.29 | $27,650 |
| General and Operations Managers | 33,170 | $40.03 | $83,270 |
| Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 29,540 | $10.16 | $21,130 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 28,470 | -- | $36,240 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 28,050 | $15.25 | $31,710 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 27,370 | $25.17 | $52,350 |
| Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 25,350 | $12.61 | $26,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 24,720 | $19.53 | $40,630 |
| Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 23,660 | $16.82 | $34,980 |
| Carpenters | 23,540 | $20.16 | $41,930 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 21,750 | $10.35 | $21,520 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 21,510 | $26.21 | $54,530 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education | 21,300 | -- | $38,310 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 20,530 | $7.77 | $16,160 |
| First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers | 19,770 | $18.24 | $37,930 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 18,510 | $9.04 | $18,810 |
| Security Guards | 18,410 | $11.43 | $23,770 |
| Truck Drivers, Light Or Delivery Services | 18,340 | $12.55 | $26,090 |
Notes
iEmployment and wage estimates are based on results from the 2003/2004 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey. The MERIC OES program conducts a semi-annual mail survey designed to produce estimates of employment and wages for specific occupations. Each state conducts an identical survey in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
iiSource: MERIC, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, data is for calendar year 2004.
Average Hourly Wage is calculated by dividing Total Wages by Average Employment by 2,080 hours (52 weeks x 40 hours) across all industries.
Average Annual Wage is calculated by dividing Total Wages by Average Employment across all industries.
The full report is available here.
Updated August 19, 2005
