Missouri Pay Stub Generator -- Free

Missouri occupies a central position in American geography and a significant position in the American economy. The state's two major metropolitan areas -- Kansas City and St. Louis -- are distinctly different economic centers. Kansas City straddles the Missouri-Kansas state line and has built a thriving economy around financial services, healthcare (Saint Luke's Health System, HCA Midwest), food production (Cerner Corporation, now part of Oracle, was a major employer), and the remarkable revival of its urban core through a combination of tech startup investment and a burgeoning arts and restaurant scene. St. Louis, long associated with Anheuser-Busch (now a Belgian-owned brand), has significant chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, healthcare (BJC HealthCare, the St. Louis Cardinals organization), and transportation logistics (Union Pacific has major operations there). Between the two cities, Missouri agriculture -- soybeans, corn, and cattle -- contributes significantly to the rural economy.

Missouri converted from a graduated income tax to a flat structure in 2023, with the flat rate set at 4.8% for 2024. Additionally, St. Louis and Kansas City levy local earnings taxes on workers in those cities. This generator calculates Missouri's state income tax and all federal taxes for a complete, accurate pay stub PDF.

Missouri Income Tax Rates

Missouri simplified its income tax in 2022-2023 legislation, moving toward a flat rate. For 2024, Missouri's top marginal income tax rate is 4.8%, and the rate has been on a scheduled reduction trajectory -- dropping in annual increments depending on state revenue performance. The prior graduated structure had rates from 1.5% up to 5.4%, but rate reductions have significantly simplified the structure.

For most Missouri workers, the effective combined state income tax calculation results in an effective rate of approximately 4%-4.8% on gross wages after Missouri's standard deduction ($13,850 for single filers in 2024, matching the federal standard deduction).

St. Louis Earnings Tax: The City of St. Louis levies a 1% earnings tax on all wages earned within the city, including by non-residents working there. This applies to employees who work physically in the city, not those who work remotely for St. Louis companies from outside the city. St. Louis County (the suburban ring around St. Louis) does not have a city earnings tax.

Kansas City Earnings Tax: Kansas City, Missouri levies a 1% earnings tax on all wages earned within Kansas City's city limits by both residents and non-residents. Workers commuting into Kansas City from Kansas, Independence, Overland Park, or other surrounding communities who physically work in Kansas City owe this tax. The Kansas City earnings tax does not apply to those working remotely from outside city limits.

Does Missouri Require Pay Stubs?

Missouri does not have a state law requiring employers to provide pay stubs to employees. The Missouri Wage Payment and Collection Act focuses on timely payment and permissible deductions but does not mandate written wage statements each pay period. Federal FLSA record-keeping requirements apply, and most Missouri employers provide electronic pay stubs voluntarily.

For construction workers, agricultural workers, and gig drivers in St. Louis and Kansas City who do not receive formal pay stubs, this generator provides the income documentation needed for housing and lending applications in those cities' growing rental markets. No Missouri law requires employers to provide pay stubs, but federal FLSA §211(c) requires employers to maintain payroll records for a minimum of three years.

Pay Stub Requirements in Missouri

A complete Missouri pay stub should include:

• Employer name and address
• Employee name and identification
• Pay period dates
• Pay date
• Hours worked (hourly employees)
• Gross wages
• Missouri state income tax withheld (4.8%)
• City earnings tax withheld (1% if working in St. Louis or Kansas City)
• Federal income tax withheld
• Social Security and Medicare withheld
• Any voluntary deductions
• Net pay
• Year-to-date totals

Workers in St. Louis or Kansas City should see a separate city earnings tax line on their pay stubs, labeled "St. Louis Earnings Tax" or "Kansas City Earnings Tax" respectively.

Pay Frequency Laws in Missouri

Missouri Revised Statutes § 290.080 requires that employers pay wages at least semi-monthly. The semi-monthly minimum applies to most employees. Most Missouri employers pay bi-weekly, which satisfies this requirement.

Missouri also has specific rules about final paychecks: wages must be paid on the next regular payday following termination. Missouri does not require immediate same-day payment upon termination as California does, and there is no penalty for paying on the regular next payday.

Missouri's Economic Landscape

Healthcare in Kansas City and St. Louis: Healthcare is one of Missouri's largest employment sectors. BJC HealthCare (St. Louis), Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City), SSM Health (St. Louis), and Mercy Health are among the largest employers. Missouri also has a significant pharmaceutical manufacturing presence -- Pfizer has a major Kansas City manufacturing facility. Travel nurses and healthcare professionals relocating between Missouri's major hospital systems need pay documentation for housing in both metro areas.

Anheuser-Busch and food production: The Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis (now owned by AB InBev) is one of the largest breweries in the United States. Missouri has significant food and beverage production, including a large Tyson Foods operation in northwest Missouri. Food production workers often have complex pay stubs with shift differentials and seasonal overtime.

Technology in Kansas City: Kansas City has a growing tech sector following the success of companies like Cerner (acquired by Oracle), C2FO (working capital marketplace), and dozens of smaller fintech and logistics tech companies. Kansas City is also notable for having one of the country's first citywide gigabit internet deployments (Google Fiber launched there), which catalyzed tech startup activity. Tech workers in Kansas City between positions need income documentation for the city's increasingly competitive rental market in neighborhoods like River Market and Crossroads.

Transportation and logistics: Missouri's central geography makes it a natural logistics hub. Union Pacific, BNSF Railway, and numerous trucking companies have major Missouri operations. The St. Louis metropolitan area has one of the largest inland waterway terminals on the Mississippi River system. Truck drivers and logistics workers, many of whom are independent owner-operators or work on contractor-style pay arrangements, need income documentation for home purchases in suburban Missouri communities.

What a Missouri Paycheck Looks Like -- A Worked Example

A healthcare and logistics worker earning $55,000 per year in Missouri on a bi-weekly schedule ($2,115 gross per check) pays: $102 in Missouri income tax (4.8% flat rate, 2024), $131 in Social Security (6.2%), $31 in Medicare (1.45%) -- net take-home approximately $1,673 per paycheck.

2024 minimum wage in Missouri: $12.30/hr (2024).

Frequently Asked Questions for Missouri Workers

I work in Kansas City but live in Overland Park, Kansas. Do I pay the Kansas City earnings tax?

Yes. The Kansas City earnings tax (1%) applies to wages earned within Kansas City's city limits, regardless of where you live. If you physically work in Kansas City, Missouri, your employer should withhold the 1% earnings tax. You live in Kansas, so you will also file a Kansas income tax return and pay Kansas income tax on your wages -- but Kansas provides a credit for taxes paid to Missouri (including the earnings tax), so you generally do not pay full taxes to both states on the same income. The interplay between Missouri, Kansas City, and Kansas taxes for cross-state commuters can be complex; a tax professional familiar with Kansas City's bi-state metro can ensure your filing is correct.

Missouri's top rate is 4.8% but was higher before. Will it keep dropping?

Missouri's rate reduction schedule depends on the state meeting revenue growth triggers. If state revenue grows above certain thresholds, the rate reduces by an additional increment in the following year. The intent of the legislation is to gradually reduce Missouri's income tax to approximately 4.5% or lower over the coming years, assuming continued revenue growth. Check the Missouri Department of Revenue for the current applicable rate when generating stubs for future years, as the rate may have changed if revenue triggers were met.

Does Missouri have state disability insurance or paid family leave that appears on my pay stub?

No. Missouri has no state disability insurance or paid family leave program funded through employee payroll deductions. Missouri workers' pay stubs show state income tax (4.8%) and federal taxes only -- no state-funded social insurance program deductions. Workers in Missouri who need income replacement during medical leave or family care must rely on employer PTO, employer-sponsored disability insurance, or federal FMLA (which is unpaid for qualifying employees). Missouri's lack of these programs means slightly higher take-home pay compared to states with them but fewer protections during life events.

St. Louis city vs. St. Louis County -- which has the earnings tax?

Only the City of St. Louis (an independent city not part of any county) has the 1% earnings tax. St. Louis County -- which includes most of the suburban St. Louis metro area (Clayton, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield, Florissant, etc.) -- does NOT have an earnings tax. If you work in the city of St. Louis proper (downtown, Midtown, the Central West End), the 1% earnings tax applies. If you work in Clayton (the county seat of St. Louis County), Chesterfield, or other county municipalities, no earnings tax applies. Major St. Louis area employers (BJC HealthCare's main campus, Washington University) are located within the city, while many corporate offices have relocated to county suburbs to avoid the tax.

I'm a truck driver operating as an independent owner-operator out of Missouri. How do I generate pay stubs?

As an independent owner-operator with your own DOT authority, you are self-employed, and your "income" is the net profit from your trucking operation, not a salary. You can generate pay stubs based on your gross revenue from load payments, but accurate documentation for lenders should actually reflect your net income after business expenses (fuel, maintenance, insurance, truck payments). Mortgage lenders and most lenders for self-employed people use Schedule C net income (or Schedule F for sole proprietors), not gross receipts. For income documentation purposes, generate stubs reflecting your net business income per month or per quarter -- whatever period matches your payment patterns. See our self-employed pay stub generator for more guidance on sole proprietor income documentation.

Related Tools

For neighboring state comparisons, see the Illinois pay stub generator (Chicago is the major economic neighbor, 4.95% flat rate), the Kansas pay stub generator if available (Kansas City bi-state metro), or the Tennessee pay stub generator (no income tax, different economic profile). For template formats, see the free pay stub template.