Missouri paycheck taxes at a glance
| Income tax on wages | Progressive, 0% – 4.7% |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage (2026) | $15.00 an hour ($7.50 cash wage for tipped employees; retail and service businesses with under $500,000 in annual sales are exempt) |
Local taxes: Kansas City and St. Louis levy a 1% earnings tax.
2026 Missouri income tax brackets (single filers)
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $1,347 | 0% |
| $1,348 – $2,695 | 2% |
| $2,696 – $4,043 | 2.5% |
| $4,044 – $5,391 | 3% |
| $5,392 – $6,739 | 3.5% |
| $6,740 – $8,087 | 4% |
| $8,088 – $9,435 | 4.5% |
| $9,436 and up | 4.7% |
Example: a $75,500 salary in Missouri
The median household income in Missouri is about $75,485 (2025 data). Here's what one earner with that salary, paid every two weeks, filing single with no pre-tax deductions, would see on each paycheck in 2026:
| Gross pay | $2,903.85 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$299.23 |
| Social Security | −$180.04 |
| Medicare | −$42.11 |
| Missouri income tax | −$98.32 |
| Take-home pay | $2,284.15 |
That's $59,388 a year in take-home pay, or 21.3% of gross pay going to taxes.
Take-home pay by salary in Missouri
Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions:
| Salary | Per paycheck | Per year | State taxes | Total tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,284.93 | $33,408 | $912 | 16.5% |
| $60,000 | $1,867.03 | $48,543 | $1,847 | 19.1% |
| $80,000 | $2,398.04 | $62,349 | $2,761 | 22.1% |
| $100,000 | $2,904.24 | $75,510 | $3,670 | 24.5% |
| $150,000 | $4,141.47 | $107,678 | $6,113 | 28.2% |
| $200,000 | $5,402.47 | $140,464 | $8,463 | 29.8% |
What changed for 2026
- The top rate stayed at 4.7%, but the brackets were adjusted for inflation. The 4.7% rate now starts above $9,436 of Missouri taxable income, up from $9,191 for 2025.
- The standard deduction rose to $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, from $15,750 and $31,500.
- The minimum wage rose from $13.75 to $15.00 an hour on January 1, 2026. House Bill 567 (2025) ended the annual inflation adjustments that would have followed, so no increase is scheduled for 2027. The same law repealed Missouri's earned paid sick time law, effective August 28, 2025.
- Kansas City and St. Louis voters both renewed their 1% earnings taxes on April 7, 2026, for another five years.
Missouri pay rules worth knowing
- Corporations doing business in Missouri must pay wages at least twice a month, within 16 days after each pay period closes. Executive, administrative and professional employees, and employees paid wholly or partly on commission, may be paid monthly.
- If you're discharged, your unpaid wages are due on the day you're let go. If you request them in writing and they haven't arrived within seven days, your wages keep accruing as a penalty, for up to 60 days.
How Missouri figures your state tax
Missouri’s brackets are narrow. Every rate below 4.7% applies only within the first $9,436 of taxable income, and the most you can pay on that slice is $263. In practice, nearly every full-time worker pays 4.7% on each additional dollar, so Missouri behaves much like a flat tax with a small discount at the bottom.
Two steps separate your paycheck from your final bill:
- Withholding. Your employer annualizes your wages, subtracts the standard deduction for the status you claim on Form MO W-4, and applies the rate chart. That’s all.
- Your return. When you file, you also subtract part of your federal income tax (see the FAQ). Employers don’t account for that deduction, so the tax withheld during the year usually runs somewhat higher than what you end up owing.
The calculator above estimates your full-year Missouri tax, including the federal tax deduction. If your withholding comes in a little higher, that difference typically shows up as a refund.
Kansas City and St. Louis earnings taxes
Missouri’s two largest cities each levy a 1% earnings tax, and voters renewed both in April 2026 for another five years. The rules for who pays are similar:
- Residents owe the tax on all their earnings, wherever they work.
- Nonresidents owe it only on pay for work done inside the city.
If you commute into Kansas City or St. Louis from the suburbs or from Kansas or Illinois, expect 1% of your city-earned wages to be withheld. Nonresidents who work some whole days outside St. Louis can ask for part of the tax back on Form E-1R, with the days verified by the employer.
The calculator doesn’t add city tax automatically. Enter 1% in the Local income tax rate field to include it.
The minimum wage after House Bill 567
Missouri’s minimum wage reached $15.00 on January 1, 2026, the last scheduled step in state law. In 2025, the legislature passed House Bill 567, which:
- ended the yearly inflation adjustments that were set to start after 2026, so $15.00 stays in place until the law changes again;
- extended the minimum wage law to public employers that had been exempt; and
- repealed the state’s earned paid sick time requirement, effective August 28, 2025.
Retail and service businesses with annual sales under $500,000 still don’t have to pay the state rate, though federal law may require at least $7.25.
Planning tools
The income tax calculator estimates your full-year federal tax, which also drives the size of your Missouri federal tax deduction. The salary calculator turns an hourly wage into annual pay.
Estimates only. Your employer’s payroll system, your W-4 and MO W-4 determine your actual paycheck.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Labor: 2026 Minimum Wage
- Missouri Department of Labor: Minimum wage FAQs
- Missouri Department of Labor: Minimum Wage Increases to $15.00 per Hour for 2026
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 290.502: Minimum wage
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 290.600 (repealed by HB 567, 2025)
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 290.080: Semimonthly pay
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 290.110: Wages due on discharge
- City of Kansas City, Missouri: Earnings tax
- KCUR: Kansas City voters renew earnings tax (April 7, 2026)
- City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue: Individual earnings tax information
- St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis voters pass earnings tax (April 7, 2026)
- Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas, 2025
- dor.mo.gov
- dor.mo.gov
- dor.mo.gov
- IRS Publication 15-T (federal withholding)
Frequently asked questions
I live outside Kansas City but work there. Do I pay the earnings tax?
Yes, on the income you earn within Kansas City, Missouri, city limits. Kansas City residents owe the 1% tax on all their earnings, even when they work outside the city. Employers in the city withhold it, and individuals file the city's RD-109 return by April 15.
I work for a St. Louis employer but sometimes work from home outside the city. Can I get some of the earnings tax back?
If you're not a city resident, yes. St. Louis lets nonresidents request a refund of tax withheld for whole days worked outside the city on Form E-1R, and your employer has to verify the day count. Refund requests must be filed within one year of the original due date of the return.
How does Missouri's federal income tax deduction work?
When you file, you can deduct a percentage of your federal income tax that depends on your Missouri adjusted gross income, from 35% at $25,000 or less down to 5% between $100,001 and $125,000, and nothing above that. The deduction is capped at $5,000, or $10,000 for married couples filing combined. Employers don't factor it into withholding, so it tends to show up as a smaller balance due or a larger refund.
Does Missouri tax capital gains?
Generally no. On 2025 returns, Missouri lets you subtract 100% of the capital gains reported on your federal return when figuring Missouri income. Your wages are taxed the same either way.
What do tipped workers earn in Missouri in 2026?
Employers must pay tipped employees at least $7.50 an hour, half the $15.00 minimum wage, and make up the difference if wages plus tips fall short of $15.00. Overtime for tipped employees is at least $22.50 an hour.
Facts verified November 6, 2026. Estimates only; your employer's payroll system and your W-4 determine your actual withholding.