Registered Nurse Salary in St. Louis, MO
Registered Nurses in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $83,180 a year — 15% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,375 take-home, or $5,365 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median registered nurse salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,470
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,157
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,206
- Missouri income tax$2,972
- Take-home pay$64,375
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $832 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $63,543 ($5,295 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 →
Registered Nurse pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $63,440 | $30.50 | $51,110 | $4,259 |
| 25th percentile | $77,410 | $37.22 | $60,587 | $5,049 |
| Median (50th) | $83,180 | $39.99 | $64,375 | $5,365 |
| 75th percentile | $100,230 | $48.19 | $75,568 | $6,297 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,460 | $50.22 | $78,345 | $6,529 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $83,180 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 registered nurse's $64,375 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,700 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
St. Louis, MO has 1.2× the national concentration of registered nurse jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for registered nurses, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #176 of 206 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $216,740 | $142,511 | $129,059 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $203,290 | $134,031 | $123,555 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $174,550 | $116,298 | $107,899 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $171,460 | $114,514 | $107,353 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $186,610 | $123,394 | $106,730 |
| 6 | Bend, OR | $135,010 | $92,480 | $89,260 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | $128,810 | $89,883 | $89,094 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $128,260 | $98,932 | $89,021 |
| 176 | St. Louis, MO | $83,180 | $64,375 | $67,700 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 206 metros →
About the job: registered nurses
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.6% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Registered Nurse salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- Columbia, MO — $84,330
- Springfield, MO — $79,370
- Kansas City, MO — $83,040
- Joplin, MO — $74,930
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse make in St. Louis, MO?
The median registered nurse salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $83,180 a year, or about $39.99 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $77,410 and $100,230.
What is a registered nurse’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $83,180 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $64,375 a year ($5,365 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,972 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a registered nurse?
Pay here is 15% below the national median of $97,550. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,700 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #176 of 206 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a registered nurse 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) — 18% of a median registered nurse’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Pharmacist — $138,530
- Nurse Practitioner — $131,580
- Physical Therapist — $100,600
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $65,120
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $61,830
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other — $47,570
- Pharmacy Technician — $45,220