Missouri MINIMUM WAGES

Missouri State Minimum Wage for 2025

Effective January 1, 2025, Missouri’s minimum wage rates are $13.75 per hour for all employees, while the tipped minimum wage rates has increased to $6.88 per hour. Employers must ensure the total wages of tipped employees equals the standard rate ($13.75 per hour), if not, they should make up for the difference. Employers must also pay overtime at 1.5 times the regular rates for hours worked beyond the standard 40 hours per week.

These rates are applicable across most employees, with certain exceptions discussed later on. Thus, employers must ensure they meet the tipped and non-tipped minimum wage rates, and failing to do so will lead to strict penalties.

In the future, Missouri’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2026. Post that, annual adjustments will be implemented based on changes in Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Similarly, the tipped wage will also witness an increase to $7.50 per hour  in 2026.

Minimum Wages in Missouri Cities

Here’s a table defining minimum wage rates across the top 30 cities of Missouri: 

Threshold For Employees Exempt

Under The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees are classified as either exempt or nonexempt: 

• Nonexempt Employees are entitled to receive the state minimum wage and overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. 

• Exempt Employees, typically salaried workers, do not qualify for overtime or state minimum wage protections. 

As of 2025, the salary threshold for exempt employees were set to increase to $844 per week ($43,888 annually) on July 1, 2024, and further to $1,128 per week ($58,656 annually)  in January 2025. However, a court ruling blocked these rates, and set the federal salary threshold exemptions at $684 per week ($35,568 annually).

Employers in Missouri must strictly adhere to these federal standards, and make necessary adjustments to their company compliance policies.

Historical Data of Illinois Minimum Wages

Historically, Missouri adhered to federal minimum wage laws until 2006 when the state raised its minimum wage to $6.50 per hour, surpassing the federal rate of $5.15. After the federal minimum wage rose to $7.25 per hour between 2007 and 2009, this became Missouri’s standard as well. 

In 2012, a coalition of activists “Give Missourians a Raise,” proposed an increase in minimum wages to help low-income groups support their families and meet basic needs. This argument also aligned with country-wide minimum wage policies and were considered as anti-poverty measures.  

However, many people argued that raising the minimum wage rates would discourage employers from hiring low-skilled workers, thereby reducing job opportunities. They also claimed that it often benefited secondary earners of higher-income households than poor families, potentially increasing poverty rates.  

This caused minimum wage stagnation until 2016 when the state raised wage rates to $7.65 an hour and reached $7.85 in 2018. Following the approval of Proposition B, the state of Missouri has incrementally increased minimum wage rates to ensure fair pay.  

The table below shows a gradual increase in minimum wages in Missouri between 1990 to 2024. 

Source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/history

Exemptions in Minimum Wages of Missouri  

All employers in the state of Missouri are mandated to pay the state minimum wages to all their employees, except for: 

• Individuals employed by state or federal government  

• Tipped employees 

• People working at retail and service businesses grossing less than $500,000 annually 

• Full-time students employed in part-time jobs. (They’re entitled to receive at least 85% of the minimum wage) 

• Agricultural and farm workers