SOC 29-1141 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Registered Nurses — Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Registered Nurses in Cape Girardeau, MO is $82,640 per year, 15.3% below the national median of $97,550.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Registered Nurses in Cape Girardeau, MO is $82,640 per year, 15.3% below the national median of $97,550. Pay ranges from under $62,620 at the tenth percentile to more than $104,830 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $67,790 to $93,330.
Employment stands at 1,470, or 33.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Jefferson City leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $85,010. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 28th of 204 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,620 | −35.8% |
| 25th | $67,790 | −30.5% |
| Median (50th) | $82,640 | −15.3% |
| 75th | $93,330 | −4.3% |
| 90th | $104,830 | +7.5% |
| Mean | $86,160 | −11.7% |
Other metro areas in Missouri
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson City | $85,010 | 1,910 | |
| 2 | Columbia | $84,330 | 3,680 | |
| 3 | St. Louis | $83,180 | 35,200 | |
| 4 | Kansas City | $83,040 | 29,650 | |
| 5 | Springfield | $79,370 | 6,820 | |
| 6 | St. Joseph | $77,240 | 1,490 | |
| 7 | Joplin | $74,930 | 2,670 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Cape Girardeau run 9.2% below the national average, so the median of $82,640 goes as far as $91,013 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 6.7% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$82,640as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$91,013US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $82,640 a year, 15.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $62,620 to $104,830 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,470 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Jefferson City, at $85,010.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Registered Nurses in Cape Girardeau, MO?
The median annual wage is $82,640, or $39.73 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $97,550, so pay in Cape Girardeau, MO is 15.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Cape Girardeau, MO earns more than $104,830 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $62,620 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Jefferson City, at $85,010 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,470 jobs in this occupation in Cape Girardeau, MO. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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