Missouri (MO)
Login To Save This
H1BIndex State Grade
i
C
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
848
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$105,776
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$100,488
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.9%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of Missouri's tech ecosystem.Missouri Regional Score
Employers across Missouri submitted 848 work visa applications. Looking at these total hiring numbers, the state achieves an overall H1B Index Rating of "C".
High Talent Transfers
The job market in Missouri is highly competitive. Approximately 50.1% of filings aggressively recruit professionals who already hold visas at rival companies.
Actual Take-Home Value
While the $105,776 median pay is competitive, local deductions apply. Factoring in the 5.0% state income tax and regional pricing, professionals realize a true spending power of about $100,488.
Strong Visa Success
Getting an approved work visa is highly likely here. The government approves 99.9% of applications from Missouri, and local companies also filed 329 permanent residency requests.
Highly Experienced Roles
Companies in Missouri actively target highly experienced talent. Over 37.9% of the regional job filings classify officially as advanced, high-level corporate roles.
Main Employment Hub
If you are moving to Missouri, St. Louis is the most active city for securing a work visa. Overall, the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry provides the majority of these positions.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Minor Displacement Notice
Small Staff Reductions: Only 20 permanent residency applications (6.1%) in Missouri involved companies with recent layoffs.
Top Metro Hubs in Missouri
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $105,776.Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (49.9%)Corporate Poaching (50.1%)
State Wage Premium
$8,390
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in Missouri offer salaries that are $8,390 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Decade Salary Rise: +47.1%. Base wages in this state show a steady upward trend.
Wage Drop: -$5,235. In 2026, the base salary for a permanent Green Card role is 5.2% lower than a temporary visa here.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
Top Emerging Startup in Missouri
We found exactly 1 fast-growing startup (under 5 years old) actively hiring visa workers in Missouri right now.
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 145 | 17.1% | $40,788 | $67,018 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 334 | 39.4% | $46,280 | $97,386 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 174 | 20.5% | $63,523 | $120,825 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 147 | 17.3% | $74,160 | $140,046 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 48 | 5.7% | $59,821 | $125,902 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | 16.0% (136 Filings) | $113,145 | 25.0% |
| Maryland Heights, MO | 10.5% (89 Filings) | $103,896 | 25.8% |
| Kansas City, MO | 8.5% (72 Filings) | $115,336 | 25.0% |
| O'Fallon, MO | 6.6% (56 Filings) | $113,284 | 10.7% |
| St Louis, MO | 6.6% (56 Filings) | $77,917 | 0.0% |
| Columbia, MO | 6.5% (55 Filings) | $75,934 | 0.0% |
| Ofallon, MO | 5.5% (47 Filings) | $138,000 | 23.4% |
| Chesterfield, MO | 5.1% (43 Filings) | $118,706 | 18.6% |
| Saint Louis, MO | 4.6% (39 Filings) | $100,000 | 10.3% |
| Springfield, MO | 2.1% (18 Filings) | $79,248 | 16.7% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 2.0% (17 Filings) | $100,217 | 29.4% |
| O Fallon, MO | 1.9% (16 Filings) | $86,400 | 0.0% |
| Creve Coeur, MO | 1.3% (11 Filings) | $118,600 | 27.3% |
| Fenton, MO | 1.3% (11 Filings) | $138,000 | 45.5% |
| Liberty, MO | 1.3% (11 Filings) | $418,330 | 9.1% |
| Bridgeton, MO | 1.2% (10 Filings) | $331,074 | 40.0% |
| Ballwin, MO | 1.1% (9 Filings) | $109,833 | 33.3% |
| Earth City, MO | 1.1% (9 Filings) | $101,504 | 0.0% |
| Saint Charles, MO | 0.9% (8 Filings) | $97,693 | 12.5% |
| St Charles, MO | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $107,245 | 28.6% |
| Saint Peters, MO | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $127,795 | 0.0% |
| Wentzville, MO | 0.8% (7 Filings) | $101,504 | 0.0% |
| Clayton, MO | 0.7% (6 Filings) | $140,023 | 50.0% |
| St. Charles, MO | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $155,000 | 40.0% |
| St. Peters, MO | 0.6% (5 Filings) | $101,504 | 20.0% |
| Farmington, MO | 0.5% (4 Filings) | $62,400 | 0.0% |
| Lake St Louis, MO | 0.5% (4 Filings) | $114,408 | 0.0% |
| Joplin, MO | 0.5% (4 Filings) | $115,994 | 0.0% |
| Ellisville, MO | 0.5% (4 Filings) | $110,743 | 25.0% |
| O' Fallon, MO | 0.4% (3 Filings) | $97,386 | 0.0% |
| Town And Country, MO | 0.4% (3 Filings) | $80,000 | 0.0% |
| Lake Saint Louis, MO | 0.4% (3 Filings) | $103,000 | 0.0% |
| Carthage, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $107,502 | 50.0% |
| Cottleville, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $139,000 | 0.0% |
| Wildwood, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $136,261 | 50.0% |
| Warrensburg, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $86,082 | 0.0% |
| Washington, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $93,382 | 50.0% |
| St. Joseph, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $272,500 | 50.0% |
| Osage Beach, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $213,699 | 0.0% |
| Perryville, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $56,919 | 0.0% |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $105,700 | 0.0% |
| Brookfield, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $52,000 | 0.0% |
| Blue Springs, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $83,800 | 0.0% |
| Branson, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $53,217 | 0.0% |
| Independence, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $76,722 | 0.0% |
| Moberly, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $183,500 | 0.0% |
| Kansas, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $99,664 | 0.0% |
| Harrisonville, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $75,920 | 0.0% |
| Festus, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $272,033 | 0.0% |
| Eureka, MO | 0.2% (2 Filings) | $140,046 | 100.0% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.45.4%
16.3%
12.0%
7.8%
7.1%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-87.1% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in Missouri.Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | 33 | $97,386 | $46,592 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Software Engineer | 27 | $115,000 | $106,683 Range | +$17,614 Over Min |
| Software Engineer | 23 | $97,386 | $42,661 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Lead Software Engineer | 21 | $138,000 | $29,956 Range | +$19,294 Over Min |
| Staff Scientist | 17 | $67,000 | $21,537 Range | +$10,798 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | 16 | $66,762 | $11,040 Range | +$10,560 Over Min |
| Manager Jc50 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 15 | $101,504 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | 14 | $57,689 | $19,146 Range | +$2,579 Over Min |
| Assistant Professor | 10 | $98,250 | $93,540 Range | +$28,439 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Iv | 8 | $90,397 | $38,406 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Medical Technologist | 8 | $62,400 | $26,042 Range | +$14,456 Over Min |
| Interventional Cardiologist/Faculty | 8 | $418,330 | $0 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Manager Jc45 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 7 | $123,240 | Fixed Pay | Baseline Pay |
| Captain | 6 | $336,440 | $19,302 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Assistant Research Professor | 6 | $87,008 | $25,510 Range | +$20,172 Over Min |
| Senior Scientist | 6 | $70,000 | $7,398 Range | +$1,818 Over Min |
| Director, Software Engineering | 6 | $165,000 | $16,480 Range | +$24,954 Over Min |
| Principal Software Engineer | 6 | $165,000 | $18,856 Range | +$24,954 Over Min |
| Devops Engineer | 5 | $100,000 | $23,548 Range | +$2,614 Over Min |
| Java Developer | 5 | $97,400 | $16,923 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Dentist | 5 | $185,000 | $15,000 Range | +$11,674 Over Min |
| Medical Laboratory Scientist | 5 | $61,422 | $20,883 Range | +$19,552 Over Min |
| Professional Services Ii | 4 | $162,600 | $11,000 Range | +$65,214 Over Min |
| Program Manager | 4 | $127,795 | $59,113 Range | +$1,892 Over Min |
| Sr. Software Engineer | 4 | $117,684 | $31,981 Range | +$10,926 Over Min |
| Architect | 4 | $73,237 | $13,104 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Developer, Systems Software | 4 | $107,693 | $20,614 Range | +$10,307 Over Min |
| Bioinformaticist | 4 | $90,000 | $34,000 Range | +$26,144 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Vi | 4 | $118,706 | $21,320 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Data Scientist | 4 | $139,749 | $60,751 Range | +$20,960 Over Min |
| Data Engineer | 4 | $102,330 | $23,000 Range | +$7,670 Over Min |
| Senior Bizops Engineer | 4 | $105,000 | $7,614 Range | +$5,555 Over Min |
| Senior Application Development Engineer | 3 | $131,762 | $16,557 Range | +$34,376 Over Min |
| Java Full Stack Developer | 3 | $124,800 | $26,800 Range | +$6,094 Over Min |
| Mep Manager | 3 | $156,858 | Fixed Pay | +$38,860 Over Min |
| Instructor | 3 | $71,212 | $1,324 Range | +$3,030 Over Min |
| Computer Programmer | 3 | $105,000 | $18,576 Range | +$3,413 Over Min |
| Senior Informatica Developer | 3 | $118,800 | $5,800 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Principal Architect Ii | 3 | $140,046 | $17,076 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Continuous Improvement Specialist | 3 | $100,000 | Fixed Pay | +$6,088 Over Min |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $375,000 | $100,235 | Balanced | $20.00/hr |
| 2025 | +5.3% | $400,000 | $91,000 | +7.9% Skew | $12.00/hr |
| 2024 | -2.3% | $400,000 | $86,400 | +10.3% Skew | $17.00/hr |
| 2023 | -1.8% | $400,000 | $88,400 | +6.5% Skew | $12.00/hr |
| 2022 | +5.9% | $400,000 | $90,000 | Balanced | $14.00/hr |
| 2021 | +1.8% | $400,000 | $85,000 | Balanced | $14.00/hr |
| 2020 | -0.6% | $400,000 | $83,520 | Balanced | $15.00/hr |
| 2019 | +3.3% | $400,000 | $84,000 | Balanced | $16.00/hr |
| 2018 | +13.1% | $400,000 | $81,331 | Balanced | $13.00/hr |
| 2017 | +5.5% | $370,000 | $71,906 | +6.3% Skew | $11.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $400,000 | $68,141 | +8.0% Skew | $9.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding Missouri.Where do professionals make the most money in Missouri?
St. Louis offers the highest salaries across the state, reflecting a median base pay of $113,145.
What are the Green Card chances for H-1B workers in Missouri?
Companies in Missouri invest in long-term talent, filing 329 Green Card applications for a 38.8% conversion rate.
Which business sector leads H-1B hiring in Missouri?
The highest volume of job offers originates from the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry, which accounts for 45.4% of the state's total sponsorships.