How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Employee in Missouri? (2026)
State-specific payroll taxes, workers' comp, and total employer costs in Missouri.
Hiring a $60,000/year employee in Missouri costs employers approximately $65,376 total in 2026, including $5,376 in mandatory payroll taxes and workers' comp. That's a 1.09x multiplier on base salary.
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Total Cost at $60K Salary
$65,376
Cost multiplier: 1.09x
SUTA Rate (Mid)
1.0%
Wage base: $9,000
Workers' Comp Rate
1.09%
Has state income tax
Key Insight
For a $60,000 salary in Missouri, employers pay $5,376 in mandatory taxes — a 1.09x cost multiplier. Missouri's SUTA rate (1.0%) is below the national average of 1.70%.
Model your specific hire
Use our interactive calculator pre-loaded with Missouri's tax rates. Adjust salary, benefits, and overhead to get your true cost.
Missouri Employer Tax Details
State-specific payroll obligations for employers
| SUTA Rate Range | 0.0% – 6.0% |
| SUTA New Employer Rate (typical) | 1.0% |
| SUTA Wage Base | $9,000 |
| Workers' Compensation (avg) | 1.09% of payroll |
| State Income Tax | Yes |
Example Employer Costs in Missouri
Mandatory employer taxes only (no benefits or overhead)
| Component | $40,000 Salary | $60,000 Salary | $80,000 Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security (6.2%) | $2,480 | $3,720 | $4,960 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $580 | $870 | $1,160 |
| FUTA | $42 | $42 | $42 |
| SUTA (MO) | $90 | $90 | $90 |
| Workers' Comp | $436 | $654 | $872 |
| Total Employer Taxes | $3,628 | $5,376 | $7,124 |
| Total Cost (salary + taxes) | $43,628 (1.09x) | $65,376 (1.09x) | $87,124 (1.09x) |
These estimates include mandatory employer payroll taxes only. Add benefits ($7K-$17K) and overhead (~10% of salary) for full cost.
Tax rates sourced from IRS Publication 15, SSA COLA notices, and Missouri Department of Labor. Social Security tax is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% with no wage cap. FUTA is 0.6% on the first $7,000 after credit.
How Missouri Compares
Missouri's typical SUTA rate of 1.0% is below the national average of ~1.70%.
Workers' compensation at 1.09% of payroll is below the national average of ~1.20%.
Missouri Employer Environment
Below-average employer costs- State income tax applies — factor into total compensation packages
- Low SUTA rate (1.0% on $9,000 wage base) — below-average unemployment insurance cost
- Workers' comp rate 1.09% — near national average, varies by industry classification
Missouri's below-average SUTA and competitive workers' comp rates translate to a meaningful cost advantage per employee compared to the national norm, particularly for labor-intensive businesses.
Missouri Employment Profile
Missouri offers a minimal employer tax burden with a $9,000 SUTA wage base, no paid family leave mandate, and moderate workers' compensation costs.
financial services, healthcare, aerospace & defense (Boeing)
Kansas City straddles Missouri and Kansas, creating a two-state labor market; employers with facilities on both sides can face different SUTA rates and workers' comp structures.
Cost at Different Salary Levels in Missouri
Total employer cost including all mandatory payroll taxes
Compare Missouri With
Employee Costs in Other States
Hiring Cost by Industry in Missouri
Workers' comp rates vary significantly by industry — restaurant and construction workers cost far more to insure than office staff.
Average Wages by Occupation in Missouri
BLS OEWS 2024Median annual wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics — use these as your baseline salary when estimating total hiring cost.
| Occupation Group | Median Annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Management | $95,670 | 216,380 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $84,890 | 35,520 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $81,070 | 85,230 |
| Legal | $80,470 | 21,010 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $76,400 | 200,200 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $74,300 | 181,350 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $67,540 | 21,140 |
| Construction and Extraction | $60,000 | 116,510 |
States With Similar Hiring Costs
These states have SUTA rates close to Missouri's 1.0% — good for cost benchmarking.
Missouri Business Resources
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franchisebudget.com — franchise startup cost estimator
Simplify Payroll in Missouri
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