Cape Girardeau Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Cape Girardeau, MO: $21.38/hr median hourly wage, $44,470 median annual salary, cost of living index 81.3, and $12.30/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Missouri taxes.
Cape Girardeau Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Cape Girardeau, MO is $21.38/hr,and the median annual wage is $44,470. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.26/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $30.36/hr, and the local minimum wage is $12.30/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area (44,680 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Cape Girardeau shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$44,470
$21.38/hr
Cost of Living
81.3
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$12.30
per hour
Unemployment
2.7%
rate
Cape Girardeau, MO Overview
Population
40,100
Median Salary
$44,470
Average Salary
$56,640
Avg Commute
19 min
Median Home Price
$179,000
Median Rent
$736/mo
Job Growth
+2%
Sales Tax
4.225%
Cape Girardeau is located in Missouri with a population of 40,100. The median annual wage across all occupations is $44,470 ($21.38/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro), which is $6,510 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 19 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2%.
Cape Girardeau Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Cape Girardeau, MO built around the $44,470 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $27,571 | $13.26/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $44,470 | $21.38/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $63,147 | $30.36/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $79,157 | $38.06/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Cape Girardeau Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Cape Girardeau, MO, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$36,363
$3,030.26/month · $1,398.58/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.2%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,398.58 take-home per paycheck after estimated Missouri and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$44,470
Federal Tax
-$3,156
State Tax
-$1,153
Local Tax
-$396
FICA
-$3,402
Net Pay
$36,363
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,705.83 | $44,470.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$263.03 | -$3,156.40 |
| Missouri State Tax (2.59% eff.) | -$96.06 | -$1,152.76 |
| Local Tax (0.89%) | -$32.98 | -$395.78 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$229.76 | -$2,757.14 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$53.73 | -$644.82 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,030.26 | $36,363.10 |
Salary Comparison: Cape Girardeau vs Other Cities
See how Cape Girardeau's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, MO | $44,470 | 81.3 | $54,699 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| College Station, TX | $44,470 | 88 | $50,534 |
| Bryan, TX | $44,470 | 87.5 | $50,823 |
| Erie, PA | $44,460 | 83 | $53,566 |
| Sanford, NC | $44,502 | 95.4 | $46,648 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau's cost of living index is 81.3 (national average = 100). Living in Cape Girardeau is 18.700000000000003% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$179,000
Median Monthly Rent
$736
Annual Rent Cost
$8,832
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $36,363 annual take-home pay in Cape Girardeau has the purchasing power of approximately $44,727 in an average-cost US area. Your $44,470 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $44,470.
Salary Tips for Cape Girardeau Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Cape Girardeau has a cost of living 18.700000000000003% below the national average. A salary of $44,470 here has the purchasing power of about $54,699 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Cape Girardeau's top industries include Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agriculture. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $44,470 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Cape Girardeau salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Cape Girardeau indexed at 81.3.
- Median salary: $44,470 annual, $21.38 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL MSA (44,680 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $56,640 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Cape Girardeau was $41,709.
- Tax burden reflects Missouri 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.7%), plus Cape Girardeau local tax of 0.89%, sales tax (4.225%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Cape Girardeau: 2.7%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agriculture, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Missouri.
- Housing context: median home price $179,000, median rent $736/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Cape Girardeau, MO:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Cape Girardeau unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Cape Girardeau QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Missouri, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Cape Girardeau's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Missouri labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Cape Girardeau, MO?
The median hourly wage in Cape Girardeau, MO is $21.38 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $44,470. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.26/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $30.36/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Cape Girardeau, MO?
The median salary in Cape Girardeau, MO is $44,470 per year, or $21.38 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro area). The BLS mean salary is $56,640. This is $6,510 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Cape Girardeau, MO?
Cape Girardeau's cost of living index is 81.3 (national average = 100), meaning it is 18.700000000000003% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $179,000 and the median monthly rent is $736.
What are the best industries in Cape Girardeau?
The top industries in Cape Girardeau, MO include Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agriculture. The city has a job growth rate of 2% and an unemployment rate of 2.7%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $44,470.
How does Cape Girardeau's salary compare to other cities?
Cape Girardeau's median salary of $44,470 is 12.8% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 81.3), the real purchasing power is approximately $54,699.
What is the minimum wage in Cape Girardeau, MO?
The minimum wage in Cape Girardeau, MO is $12.30 per hour. This equals approximately $25,584 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $5.05 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.