Machinist Salary in St. Louis, MO
Machinists in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $62,210 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $50,179 take-home, or $4,182 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,285
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,857
- Medicare (1.45%)$902
- Missouri income tax$1,987
- Take-home pay$50,179
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Machinist pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,230 | $22.71 | $38,847 | $3,237 |
| 25th percentile | $55,630 | $26.75 | $45,201 | $3,767 |
| Median (50th) | $62,210 | $29.91 | $50,179 | $4,182 |
| 75th percentile | $72,540 | $34.88 | $57,390 | $4,782 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $89,950 | $43.25 | $68,820 | $5,735 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,210 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 machinist's $50,179 take-home pay has the buying power of $52,771 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 2.3× the national concentration of machinist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #18 of 115 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge, LA | $67,700 | $54,812 | $60,379 |
| 2 | New Orleans, LA | $66,990 | $54,334 | $58,678 |
| 3 | St. Cloud, MN | $62,230 | $49,474 | $56,456 |
| 4 | Kingsport, TN | $57,890 | $48,695 | $56,329 |
| 5 | Davenport, IA | $61,710 | $50,071 | $56,209 |
| 6 | Lafayette, LA | $59,830 | $48,845 | $56,009 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $62,190 | $51,222 | $56,008 |
| 8 | Beaumont, TX | $59,800 | $50,229 | $55,782 |
| 18 | St. Louis, MO | $62,210 | $50,179 | $52,771 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 115 metros →
Machinist salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $56,740
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in St. Louis, MO?
The median machinist salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $62,210 a year, or about $29.91 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $55,630 and $72,540.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $62,210 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $50,179 a year ($4,182 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,987 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $52,771 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #18 of 115 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist 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) — 24% of a median machinist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,210
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $62,090
- Tool and Die Maker — $59,610
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $57,850
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $56,320
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $54,610
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $53,500
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $53,360
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $52,630
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $52,310
- Food Batchmaker — $52,000
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $51,790