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Average salary by job family in Cape Girardeau
| Management | $103,470 |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $97,840 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $88,440 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $87,900 |
| Legal | $87,590 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $82,630 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $71,170 |
| Construction and Extraction | $64,880 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $57,790 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $56,950 |
| Production | $53,560 |
| Community and Social Service | $52,770 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $52,690 |
| Protective Service | $50,470 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $46,300 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $44,290 |
| Sales and Related | $42,280 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $41,360 |
| Personal Care and Service | $37,970 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,050 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,410 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $33,570 |
Highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau
- Financial Managers$149,860
- Pharmacists$144,480
- Human Resources Managers$143,650
- Physician Assistants$140,770
- Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,340
- Nurse Practitioners$127,270
- Medical and Health Services Managers$124,730
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$124,180
- Lawyers$120,010
- Industrial Production Managers$118,170
Most common jobs in Cape Girardeau and what they pay
| Job | Jobs | Average salary | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,540 | $33,210 | $33,940 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,470 | $86,160 | $82,640 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,460 | $34,370 | $30,250 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,450 | $94,030 | $74,790 |
| Cashiers | 1,270 | $31,120 | $29,350 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,070 | $30,000 | $28,820 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,030 | $51,930 | $47,100 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 930 | $36,030 | $35,040 |
| Office Clerks, General | 850 | $42,840 | $38,830 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | $36,880 | $28,710 |
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Cost of living in Cape Girardeau
Prices in the Cape Girardeau area are 14% below the U.S. average, with a BEA price parity of 86.1 for 2024. The average local salary of $56,640 therefore buys what $65,801 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. A typical home is worth $232,332, 3.5 times the median household income of $67,267.
$232,332typical home value
$67,267median household income
86.1BEA price parity
97,813metro population
Take-home pay in Cape Girardeau
| Salary level | Gross | After tax | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile wage | $33,800 | $28,687 | $2,391 |
| Median wage | $44,470 | $36,759 | $3,063 |
| Average wage | $56,640 | $45,965 | $3,830 |
| 75th percentile wage | $63,980 | $51,518 | $4,293 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Salaries for every job in Cape Girardeau
Management16 jobs
- Financial Managers$150K
- Human Resources Managers$144K
- Computer and Information Systems Managers$132K
- Medical and Health Services Managers$125K
- Industrial Production Managers$118K
- Sales Managers$108K
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107K
- Marketing Managers$104K
- Construction Managers$104K
- Managers, All Other$102K
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$97K
- General and Operations Managers$94K
- Facilities Managers$91K
- Administrative Services Managers$83K
- Social and Community Service Managers$69K
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$69K
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical25 jobs
- Pharmacists$144K
- Physician Assistants$141K
- Nurse Practitioners$127K
- Veterinarians$117K
- Occupational Therapists$96K
- Physical Therapists$95K
- Speech-Language Pathologists$93K
- Registered Nurses$86K
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81K
- Dental Hygienists$81K
- Respiratory Therapists$71K
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67K
- Dietitians and Nutritionists$62K
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$59K
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$55K
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$55K
- Paramedics$53K
- Medical Records Specialists$53K
- Surgical Technologists$52K
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$46K
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$40K
- Psychiatric Technicians$40K
- Pharmacy Technicians$39K
- Opticians, Dispensing$38K
- Emergency Medical Technicians$37K
Architecture and Engineering3 jobs
Legal3 jobs
Computer and Mathematical5 jobs
Business and Financial Operations13 jobs
- Personal Financial Advisors$103K
- Project Management Specialists$89K
- Management Analysts$83K
- Loan Officers$81K
- Cost Estimators$79K
- Accountants and Auditors$71K
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other$71K
- Property Appraisers and Assessors$66K
- Human Resources Specialists$64K
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents$61K
- Training and Development Specialists$60K
- Compliance Officers$59K
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$59K
Construction and Extraction11 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$87K
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$72K
- Sheet Metal Workers$68K
- Electricians$67K
- Carpenters$65K
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$65K
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$60K
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$59K
- Construction Laborers$58K
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$56K
- Highway Maintenance Workers$52K
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair13 jobs
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$92K
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$83K
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66K
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics$66K
- Millwrights$65K
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$57K
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$55K
- Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$55K
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$53K
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$53K
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers$52K
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$51K
- Tire Repairers and Changers$37K
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media5 jobs
Production14 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$69K
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59K
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$54K
- Machinists$53K
- Printing Press Operators$52K
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$50K
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$44K
- Production Workers, All Other$40K
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$39K
- Butchers and Meat Cutters$39K
- Helpers--Production Workers$39K
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$38K
- Bakers$34K
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$32K
Community and Social Service6 jobs
Educational Instruction and Library9 jobs
- Instructional Coordinators$59K
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$56K
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$54K
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$52K
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$42K
- Library Technicians$39K
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$33K
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$33K
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$32K
Protective Service4 jobs
Transportation and Material Moving11 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$63K
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$55K
- Bus Drivers, School$48K
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48K
- Driver/Sales Workers$41K
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$40K
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40K
- Light Truck Drivers$38K
- Stockers and Order Fillers$36K
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$34K
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$34K
Office and Administrative Support24 jobs
- Postal Service Mail Carriers$63K
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$62K
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$55K
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$54K
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$52K
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$49K
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$48K
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks$46K
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$46K
- Billing and Posting Clerks$44K
- Public Safety Telecommunicators$44K
- Customer Service Representatives$43K
- Office Clerks, General$43K
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other$43K
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$43K
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$42K
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$41K
- Bill and Account Collectors$40K
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$40K
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$39K
- Tellers$37K
- Receptionists and Information Clerks$36K
- Library Assistants, Clerical$35K
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$34K
Sales and Related11 jobs
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$124K
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$83K
- Insurance Sales Agents$76K
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$68K
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$62K
- Advertising Sales Agents$57K
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48K
- Counter and Rental Clerks$44K
- Parts Salespersons$39K
- Retail Salespersons$34K
- Cashiers$31K
Personal Care and Service7 jobs
Healthcare Support8 jobs
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance3 jobs
Food Preparation and Serving Related12 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$41K
- Waiters and Waitresses$37K
- Bartenders$35K
- Cooks, Restaurant$34K
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$34K
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$33K
- Food Preparation Workers$32K
- Dishwashers$32K
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$31K
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31K
- Cooks, Fast Food$30K
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$30K
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Salary in Cape Girardeau: questions
What is a good salary in Cape Girardeau?
Half of all workers in the Cape Girardeau metro earn less than $44,470 and the average is $56,640. Earning more than $63,980 puts you in the top quarter of local wages.
How much do you need to earn in Cape Girardeau to match a $69,770 salary elsewhere?
About $60,057, because prices here are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.1).
What are the highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau?
Financial Managers ($149,860), Pharmacists ($144,480), Human Resources Managers ($143,650).
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. Area Cape Girardeau, MO-IL (16020), all occupations and 203 individual jobs. What a metro area includes.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Population and median household income: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2023.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.