SOC 25-2012 · St. Louis, MO-IL metro

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in St. Louis, MO

The average salary for kindergarten teachers (except special education) in St. Louis, Missouri is $65,140 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $62,150: half of the 1,220 people in this job in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

$65,140average per year

Median $62,150Take-home ≈ $51,744

  • $49K10th
  • $51K25th
  • $62KMedian
  • $77K75th
  • $89K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

1,220people in this job
-6%vs U.S. average
#1 of 6Missouri metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in St. Louis

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $89,020 or more. The middle half of kindergarten teachers (except special education) in St. Louis earn between $51,460 and $77,090.

  • $49K10th
  • $51K25th
  • $62KMedian
  • $77K75th
  • $89K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$65,140$5,428—
Median$62,150$5,179—
Entry level (25th percentile)$51,460$4,288—
Experienced (75th percentile)$77,090$6,424—

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay in St. Louis vs. Missouri and the U.S.

Kindergarten teachers (except special education) in St. Louis earn 11% more than the Missouri average ($58,740) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($69,370). At the median the gap is -1% against the U.S. median of $62,680.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
St. Louis$65,140$62,150$48,750$89,0201,220
Missouri$58,740$56,590$44,520$79,1002,300
United States$69,370$62,680$46,990$101,830108,870

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in St. Louis

On the average salary of $65,140, a single filer in St. Louis takes home about $51,744 a year, or $4,312 a month and $1,990 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in MO$51,744$4,312
Working in IL$51,437$4,286

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Missouri paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is St. Louis a good place for kindergarten teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the St. Louis area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.1), so the average $65,140 buys what about $68,505 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Louis ($49,990). A typical home costs $276,878, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $65,140 is worth in another city

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Missouri cities

St. Louis ranks 1st of 6 Missouri metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for kindergarten teachers (except special education)

Modesto, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,550).

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in St. Louis: questions

What is the entry-level kindergarten teachers (except special education) salary in St. Louis?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,460, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the kindergarten teachers (except special education) take-home pay in St. Louis?

About $51,744 a year ($4,312 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,140. Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do kindergarten teachers (except special education) earn more in St. Louis than elsewhere?

The average here is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-2012; area St. Louis, MO-IL (41180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.30, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.