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Missouri Paycheck Calculator 2026

Progressive 0%–4.8% state tax. Kansas City and St. Louis add 1% earnings tax. Calculate your take-home pay.

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Both cities charge 1% earnings tax on gross wages for residents and non-residents working there
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Missouri has a low progressive income tax topping out at 4.80%. But if you work in Kansas City or St. Louis, an additional 1% earnings tax applies to your gross wages. Use this calculator to see your real take-home pay.

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How to Use This Calculator

Tab "Take-Home Pay"

Enter your gross annual salary, pay frequency, and filing status. The calculator applies 2026 federal income tax brackets, Missouri state income tax brackets (0%–4.80%), and FICA taxes (Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45%, and the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200K). Select whether you work in Kansas City or St. Louis to include the 1% city earnings tax. Expand "More options" to add pre-tax 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums. The result shows your net take-home per paycheck plus a full annual summary.

Tab "Tax Breakdown"

This tab shows a visual pie chart of where every dollar of your salary goes: federal tax, MO state tax, Social Security, Medicare, city earnings tax (if applicable), and take-home pay. It calculates how many cents of each dollar you actually keep and your combined effective tax rate.

Tab "Compare Filing Status"

See your take-home pay calculated side-by-side as Single, Married Filing Jointly, and Head of Household. The comparison table shows federal tax, MO state tax, FICA, and net take-home for each status. The best option is highlighted in green so you can instantly see which filing status saves you the most money.

The Formulas

Federal Income Tax (2026 brackets):
Taxable income = Gross salary − Pre-tax deductions − Standard deduction
Single: $15,750 · MFJ: $31,500 · HoH: $23,500
Tax = Sum of (taxable income in each bracket × bracket rate)
Brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%

Missouri State Income Tax (2026 DOR rates):
MO taxable income = Gross − Pre-tax deductions − Federal standard deduction
Missouri follows the federal standard deduction amounts
Tax = Sum of (MO taxable in each bracket × rate)
Brackets: 0% ($0–$1,207), 2% ($1,208–$2,414), 2.5% ($2,415–$3,621), 3% ($3,622–$4,828), 3.5% ($4,829–$6,035), 4% ($6,036–$7,242), 4.5% ($7,243–$8,449), 4.80% ($8,450+)
Same brackets apply to all filing statuses

FICA Taxes:
Social Security = 6.2% × min(Gross salary, $184,500)
Medicare = 1.45% × Gross salary
Additional Medicare = 0.9% × max(0, Gross − $200,000)

City Earnings Tax (Kansas City / St. Louis):
Earnings tax = 1% × Gross salary (applies to gross wages, not taxable income)
Applies to residents AND non-residents working in KC or STL

Take-Home Pay:
Net = Gross − Federal tax − MO tax − SS − Medicare − City tax − Pre-tax deductions
Per paycheck = Net ÷ Number of pay periods

Example

$80,000 Salary — Single, No City Tax

Gross annual salary$80,000
Federal taxable income$64,250
Federal income tax$9,049
MO state income tax$2,913
Social Security (6.2%)$4,960
Medicare (1.45%)$1,160
Total deductions$18,082
Annual take-home$61,918
Biweekly paycheck$2,381

On an $80,000 salary in Missouri (no city tax), you keep about 77 cents of every dollar. If you work in Kansas City, add 1% earnings tax on gross wages ($800/year), bringing your annual take-home down to approximately $61,118 and your biweekly paycheck to about $2,351.

Frequently Asked Questions

Missouri has 8 progressive income tax brackets ranging from 0% to 4.80%. The first $1,207 of taxable income is tax-free. For most workers, the effective state tax rate is well below the 4.80% top marginal rate. On an $80,000 salary (single), you would pay approximately $2,913 in MO state income tax, which works out to an effective rate of about 3.6%. Missouri uses the federal standard deduction, so your MO taxable income is gross salary minus pre-tax deductions minus the standard deduction ($15,750 single, $31,500 MFJ, $23,500 HoH).
Both Kansas City and St. Louis impose a 1% earnings tax on gross wages. This tax applies to all residents of these cities and to non-residents who work within city limits. The earnings tax is calculated on your gross wages before any deductions (not on taxable income). For an $80,000 salary, this adds $800/year to your tax burden. The tax is withheld from paychecks by employers. Kansas City residents can vote every 5 years to renew the earnings tax.
Kansas City and St. Louis are the only two Missouri cities that impose an earnings tax. No other Missouri city or county levies an income or earnings tax. However, Missouri does have local sales taxes that vary by jurisdiction, which are separate from the paycheck-related taxes covered by this calculator.
The most effective strategies include: (1) Maximize pre-tax 401(k) contributions, which reduce both federal and MO taxable income. The 2026 limit is $24,500 ($32,500 if age 50+). (2) Use an HSA if you have a high-deductible health plan ($4,400 self / $8,750 family). (3) Pre-tax health insurance premiums reduce your taxable wages. (4) If you live in KC or STL, note that the 1% earnings tax cannot be reduced through deductions since it applies to gross wages.
Missouri's top rate of 4.80% is lower than Illinois' flat 4.95% and Kansas' top rate of 5.70%, but higher than Indiana's flat 3.05%. On an $80,000 salary (single), approximate state taxes are: Missouri $2,913, Illinois $3,178 (flat 4.95% after standard deduction), Indiana $1,960 (flat 3.05%), Kansas $3,420. Missouri workers in Kansas City or St. Louis should add the 1% earnings tax ($800) for a fair comparison. Overall, Missouri offers middle-of-the-road state taxes among its neighboring states.

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