Fastest-growing jobs in Missouri
Stacker // Canva
Fastest-growing jobs in Missouri
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What’s more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Missouri. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Missouri.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#50. Education administrators, postsecondary
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.6% (790 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 3,460
— Employment in 2022: 2,670
— Median annual salary in 2023: $102,760
Canva
#49. General and operations managers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.6% (21,720 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 95,120
— Employment in 2022: 73,400
— Median annual salary in 2023: $77,030
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
#48. Financial examiners
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.4% (520 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,230
— Employment in 2022: 1,710
— Median annual salary in 2023: $79,530
Canva
#47. Machine feeders and offbearers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.9% (290 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,200
— Employment in 2022: 910
— Median annual salary in 2023: $46,090
Canva
#46. Elementary school teachers, except special education
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.9% (7,880 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 32,580
— Employment in 2022: 24,700
— Median annual salary in 2023: $49,510
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
#45. Massage therapists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.1% (410 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,650
— Employment in 2022: 1,240
— Median annual salary in 2023: $52,770
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
#44. Motor vehicle operators, all other
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.3% (330 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,320
— Employment in 2022: 990
— Median annual salary in 2023: $30,480
Canva
#43. Machinists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.4% (1,320 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 5,270
— Employment in 2022: 3,950
— Median annual salary in 2023: $48,450
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#42. Dietitians and nutritionists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.5% (550 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,190
— Employment in 2022: 1,640
— Median annual salary in 2023: $57,720
fizkes // Shutterstock
#41. Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.0% (350 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,380
— Employment in 2022: 1,030
— Median annual salary in 2023: $67,830
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#40. Emergency medical technicians
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +34.9% (950 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 3,670
— Employment in 2022: 2,720
— Median annual salary in 2023: $35,680
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
#39. Financial risk specialists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.9% (280 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,060
— Employment in 2022: 780
— Median annual salary in 2023: $83,520
Canva
#38. Sales managers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.6% (1,950 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 7,140
— Employment in 2022: 5,190
— Median annual salary in 2023: $111,400
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#37. Insurance underwriters
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.8% (540 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,970
— Employment in 2022: 1,430
— Median annual salary in 2023: $64,580
Canva
#36. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.3% (720 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,550
— Employment in 2022: 1,830
— Median annual salary in 2023: $26,260
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#35. Social and human service assistants
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.5% (1,310 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 4,630
— Employment in 2022: 3,320
— Median annual salary in 2023: $36,850
Canva
#34. Bartenders
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.5% (4,740 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 16,730
— Employment in 2022: 11,990
— Median annual salary in 2023: $28,210
industryviews // Shutterstock
#33. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.6% (400 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,410
— Employment in 2022: 1,010
— Median annual salary in 2023: $61,700
Canva
#31. Slaughterers and meat packers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (400 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,400
— Employment in 2022: 1,000
— Median annual salary in 2023: $43,430
Stokkete // Shutterstock
#31. Physician assistants
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.0% (440 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,540
— Employment in 2022: 1,100
— Median annual salary in 2023: $134,670
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#30. Managers, all other
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.7% (2,460 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 8,510
— Employment in 2022: 6,050
— Median annual salary in 2023: $106,910
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#29. Database architects
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +40.9% (560 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,930
— Employment in 2022: 1,370
— Median annual salary in 2023: $102,810
fizkes // Shutterstock
#28. Marketing managers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +41.8% (1,190 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 4,040
— Employment in 2022: 2,850
— Median annual salary in 2023: $110,420
Canva
#27. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +43.6% (480 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,580
— Employment in 2022: 1,100
— Median annual salary in 2023: $58,340
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
#26. Cooks, fast food
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.1% (13,770 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 44,280
— Employment in 2022: 30,510
— Median annual salary in 2023: $28,400
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
#25. Parking attendants
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +45.2% (470 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,510
— Employment in 2022: 1,040
— Median annual salary in 2023: $27,650
Canva
#24. Preschool teachers, except special education
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +46.2% (2,590 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 8,200
— Employment in 2022: 5,610
— Median annual salary in 2023: $35,480
Socrates471 // Shutterstock
#23. Audio and video technicians
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.5% (480 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,470
— Employment in 2022: 990
— Median annual salary in 2023: $51,300
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
#22. Social and community service managers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +49.7% (880 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,650
— Employment in 2022: 1,770
— Median annual salary in 2023: $59,020
Finist4 // Shutterstock
#21. Manicurists and pedicurists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.2% (440 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,300
— Employment in 2022: 860
— Median annual salary in 2023: $33,650
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#20. Instructional coordinators
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.8% (1,170 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 3,430
— Employment in 2022: 2,260
— Median annual salary in 2023: $71,330
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
#19. Web and digital interface designers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +52.8% (380 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,100
— Employment in 2022: 720
— Median annual salary in 2023: $72,130
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
#18. Computer programmers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +53.4% (1,020 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,930
— Employment in 2022: 1,910
— Median annual salary in 2023: $72,330
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
#17. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +54.5% (360 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,020
— Employment in 2022: 660
— Median annual salary in 2023: $42,540
Canva
#16. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +55.7% (490 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,370
— Employment in 2022: 880
— Median annual salary in 2023: $79,100
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
#15. Production workers, all other
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +61.3% (3,620 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 9,530
— Employment in 2022: 5,910
— Median annual salary in 2023: $36,350
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
#14. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.0% (2,130 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 5,510
— Employment in 2022: 3,380
— Median annual salary in 2023: $82,260
Canva
#13. Tax preparers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.2% (550 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,420
— Employment in 2022: 870
— Median annual salary in 2023: $34,360
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
#12. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +63.5% (660 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,700
— Employment in 2022: 1,040
— Median annual salary in 2023: $34,710
michaeljung // Shutterstock
#11. Power plant operators
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +64.9% (480 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,220
— Employment in 2022: 740
— Median annual salary in 2023: $96,490
Canva
#10. Couriers and messengers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +74.3% (520 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,220
— Employment in 2022: 700
— Median annual salary in 2023: $37,500
NIKCOA // Shutterstock
#9. Medical transcriptionists
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +78.3% (470 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,070
— Employment in 2022: 600
— Median annual salary in 2023: $29,890
manine99 // Shutterstock
#8. Maintenance workers, machinery
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +97.0% (640 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,300
— Employment in 2022: 660
— Median annual salary in 2023: $57,880
DGLimages // Shutterstock
#7. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +102.8% (1,480 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 2,920
— Employment in 2022: 1,440
— Median annual salary in 2023: $38,150
Jason Person // Shutterstock
#6. Cooks, short order
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +107.6% (710 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,370
— Employment in 2022: 660
— Median annual salary in 2023: $28,630
Viktoriia Hnatiuk // Shutterstock
#5. Travel agents
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +116.9% (1,040 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,930
— Employment in 2022: 890
— Median annual salary in 2023: $46,080
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
#4. Operations research analysts
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +122.5% (1,690 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 3,070
— Employment in 2022: 1,380
— Median annual salary in 2023: $53,600
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#3. Special education teachers, preschool
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +154.7% (990 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,630
— Employment in 2022: 640
— Median annual salary in 2023: $58,480
Canva
#2. Continuous mining machine operators
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +230.3% (760 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,090
— Employment in 2022: 330
— Median annual salary in 2023: $43,370
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
#1. Food processing workers, all other
– Increase in employment 2022-2023: +315.6% (1,010 employees)
— Employment in 2023: 1,330
— Employment in 2022: 320
— Median annual salary in 2023: $37,510
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
