SOC 25-2012 · Joplin, MO-KS metro

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Joplin, MO

The average salary for kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Joplin, Missouri is $53,010 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $48,340: half of the 80 people in this job in the Joplin, MO-KS metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 24% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

$53,010average per year

Median $48,340Take-home ≈ $43,219

  • $41K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $71K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

80people in this job
-24%vs U.S. average
#3 of 6Missouri metros
86cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Joplin

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,870 or more. The middle half of kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Joplin earn between $45,550 and $57,820.

  • $41K10th
  • $46K25th
  • $48KMedian
  • $58K75th
  • $71K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$53,010$4,418—
Median$48,340$4,028—
Entry level (25th percentile)$45,550$3,796—
Experienced (75th percentile)$57,820$4,818—

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Joplin vs. Missouri and the U.S.

Kindergarten teachers (except special education) in Joplin earn 10% less than the Missouri average ($58,740) and 24% less than the U.S. average ($69,370). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $62,680.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Joplin$53,010$48,340$41,340$70,87080
Missouri$58,740$56,590$44,520$79,1002,300
United States$69,370$62,680$46,990$101,830108,870

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Joplin

On the average salary of $53,010, a single filer in Joplin takes home about $43,219 a year, or $3,602 a month and $1,662 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.

The Joplin, MO-KS metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in MO$43,219$3,602
Working in KS$42,615$3,551

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.

Missouri paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Joplin a good place for kindergarten teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Joplin area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.7), so the average $53,010 buys what about $61,842 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Joplin ($44,980). A typical home costs $226,857, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $53,010 is worth in another city

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Missouri cities

Joplin ranks 3rd of 6 Missouri metro areas for this job; St. Louis pays the most ($65,140).

All Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for kindergarten teachers (except special education)

Modesto, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($107,550).

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Joplin: questions

What is the entry-level kindergarten teachers (except special education) salary in Joplin?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,550, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the kindergarten teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Joplin?

About $43,219 a year ($3,602 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,010. The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do kindergarten teachers (except special education) earn more in Joplin than elsewhere?

The average here is 24% less than the U.S. average for this job ($69,370).

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. SOC code 25-2012; area Joplin, MO-KS (27900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • 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.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.32, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.