Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in St. Louis, MO
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $41,780 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $34,724 take-home, or $2,894 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,834
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,590
- Medicare (1.45%)$606
- Missouri income tax$1,026
- Take-home pay$34,724
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $418 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $34,306 ($2,859 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,770 | $15.27 | $27,151 | $2,263 |
| 25th percentile | $36,020 | $17.32 | $30,366 | $2,531 |
| Median (50th) | $41,780 | $20.09 | $34,724 | $2,894 |
| 75th percentile | $46,260 | $22.24 | $38,113 | $3,176 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $55,780 | $26.82 | $45,315 | $3,776 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $41,780 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand's $34,724 take-home pay has the buying power of $36,518 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand jobs are about as common in St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.84).
Best-paying cities for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #47 of 164 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo, IA | $47,440 | $39,147 | $44,967 |
| 2 | Fargo, ND | $45,690 | $38,892 | $42,799 |
| 3 | Des Moines, IA | $46,370 | $38,328 | $41,797 |
| 4 | Louisville, KY | $46,830 | $38,286 | $41,135 |
| 5 | Chambersburg, PA | $47,540 | $38,919 | $41,122 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $43,300 | $35,978 | $40,441 |
| 7 | Youngstown, OH | $41,540 | $35,197 | $40,274 |
| 8 | Tyler, TX | $43,390 | $37,044 | $40,197 |
| 47 | St. Louis, MO | $41,780 | $34,724 | $36,518 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 164 metros →
About the job: laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.8% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $41,700
- Springfield, MO — $38,360
Frequently asked questions
How much does a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make in St. Louis, MO?
The median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $41,780 a year, or about $20.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,020 and $46,260.
What is a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $41,780 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $34,724 a year ($2,894 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,026 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $40,240. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $36,518 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #47 of 164 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,790
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $58,240
- Bus Drivers, School — $48,100
- Light Truck Driver — $47,150
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,330
- Driver/Sales Worker — $40,240
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,840
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $37,280
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $35,220