The median math teacher salary in Missouri was $59,240 for high school teachers and $59,310 for middle school teachers as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These figures cover teachers of all subjects, including math. St. Louis has the highest high school median of any metro area in Missouri, at $62,130.
If you’re weighing a teaching job in Missouri, your grade band barely moves your pay, but your location does. Statewide, middle school teachers out-earn high school teachers at the median by just $70. High school medians across the state’s metro areas, by contrast, run from $48,570 to $62,130. Here’s what BLS reports for Missouri, each metro area, and the job outlook through 2034.
Missouri Math Teacher Salary by Grade Level
BLS has no separate math teacher category, so any figure for math teacher salary in Missouri comes from its high school and middle school teacher data. Those figures cover all subjects, math included. Missouri employed 24,380 high school teachers and 11,330 middle school teachers as of May 2025.
| Occupation | Employed | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Teachers | 24,380 | $59,240 | $71,000 | $79,300 |
| Middle School Teachers | 11,330 | $59,310 | $73,640 | $91,130 |
What Top Earners Make in Missouri
The top 10% of high school teachers in Missouri earned $79,300 or more as of May 2025, which is $20,060 above the state median. Nationally, the 90th percentile for high school teachers was $107,600.
Middle school pay stretches further at the top. Missouri’s 90th percentile for middle school teachers was $91,130, which is $11,830 more than the high school figure and $31,820 above the middle school median. Nationally it was $102,540. BLS percentiles aren’t experience levels, so don’t read the 90th percentile as what a 20-year veteran earns. Missouri districts set pay through their own salary schedules, so check the posted schedule for any district you apply to.
How Missouri Compares to the National Median
Missouri high school teachers earned $12,800 less than the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. Middle school teachers sit closer, $5,060 below the national median of $64,370. You can compare math teacher pay in other states on our national salary page.
Missouri’s eight neighbors cover a wide range. Kansas math teacher salaries are close to Missouri’s, at a $59,920 high school median and $60,580 for middle school. Illinois pays the most of the eight, with medians of $79,990 for high school and $76,110 for middle school. Oklahoma pays the least, at $48,710 and $48,440.
Math Teacher Salaries in Missouri Cities
High school medians across Missouri metro areas run from $48,570 in Cape Girardeau to $62,130 in St. Louis as of May 2025. Only three metros top the $59,240 state figure: St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield. Columbia comes close at $58,720.
Middle school pay splits more sharply. Kansas City leads at $62,570 and St. Louis follows at $62,180, while every other metro except Cape Girardeau sits between $47,960 and $50,600. In four metros (Cape Girardeau, Kansas City, St. Joseph and St. Louis), middle school teachers out-earn high school teachers at the median. Cape Girardeau shows the widest gap, with a $56,090 middle school median against $48,570 for high school.
This table lists all eight metro areas in the BLS data that include part of Missouri, with medians for both grade bands. The three metros entirely inside Missouri come first. The five that cross into Illinois or Kansas follow, and their figures cover both sides of the state line.
| Metro Area | High School Median | Middle School Median | Employed (High / Middle) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | $58,720 | $48,590 | 950 / 300 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $50,950 | $47,960 | 710 / 210 |
| Springfield, MO | $60,060 | $48,990 | 1,550 / 1,350 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $48,570 | $56,090 | 290 / 100 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $50,690 | $49,110 | 580 / 430 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $61,200 | $62,570 | 7,750 / 4,010 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $49,790 | $50,600 | 360 / 260 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,130 | $62,180 | 9,870 / 5,650 |
Job Outlook for Math Teachers in Missouri
Missouri’s teaching workforce is projected to hold nearly steady over the next decade, and openings will keep coming as teachers retire or leave. Projections Central estimates employment of high school teachers in Missouri will decline 0.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 25,380 to 25,290 jobs, with an average of 1,580 openings per year. Middle school teaching employment is projected to decline 0.7% over the same period, with an average of 630 openings per year.
These are Missouri-specific projections from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, the state’s labor market office. Together, the two grade bands add up to about 2,210 openings a year statewide.
The national picture is flat. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects little or no change in employment of high school teachers from 2025 to 2035, from 1,087,500 to 1,085,000 jobs, with about 63,500 openings a year. Employment of middle school teachers is projected to go from 630,100 to 627,400 over the same period, also little or no change, with about 38,800 openings a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do math teachers make in Missouri?
High school teachers in Missouri earned a median annual salary of $59,240 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $59,310, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS reports these figures for teachers of all subjects, including math.
Which Missouri city pays math teachers the most?
St. Louis has the highest high school median of any Missouri metro, at $62,130 as of May 2025. For middle school, Kansas City leads with a $62,570 median. Both metros cross state lines, so their figures include teachers on the Illinois or Kansas side.
Do high school math teachers earn more than middle school math teachers in Missouri?
Not statewide. Middle school teachers earned a $59,310 median as of May 2025, $70 more than high school teachers. The gap is wider at the top, where the middle school 90th percentile of $91,130 beats the high school figure by $11,830.
Is Missouri adding math teaching jobs?
Not quite. Projections Central estimates high school teaching employment in Missouri will decline 0.4% and middle school teaching employment 0.7% between 2024 and 2034. The state still expects about 1,580 high school and 630 middle school openings each year as teachers retire or leave.
How does Missouri math teacher pay compare to the national median?
Missouri’s high school median of $59,240 is $12,800 below the national median of $72,040 as of May 2025. The middle school gap is smaller: Missouri’s $59,310 median sits $5,060 below the national $64,370.
- State median: Missouri high school teachers earned a $59,240 median and middle school teachers $59,310 as of May 2025, across all subjects.
- Location matters most: High school medians run from $48,570 in Cape Girardeau to $62,130 in St. Louis, a $13,560 spread.
- Middle school can pay more: Middle school teachers edge high school teachers statewide and out-earn them at the median in four metros, including Kansas City and St. Louis.
- Below the national median: Missouri trails the national high school median by $12,800 and the middle school median by $5,060.
- Steady openings: Employment is projected to decline less than 1% by 2034, and Missouri still expects about 2,210 high school and middle school openings a year.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Middle School Teachers and High School Teachers, which include teachers of all subjects. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2026. National job outlook figures (2025-2035) are from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
If you plan to teach math in Missouri, compare programs by the grade band they certify you for and how they arrange student teaching in the part of the state where you want to work. The schools listed here include online options for career changers who keep a job while they train.