Cost of hiring in Jefferson City, MO
BLS counts about 8,300 people in these 16 roles in Jefferson City1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($79,980 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($34,510), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,880 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Jefferson City
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Receptionist | -9.2% | 410 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.7% | 70 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -10.7% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | -10.8% | 590 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.6% | 220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.9% | 1,360 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.5% | 70 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.8% | 1,880 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -15.3% | 170 | |
| Recruiter | -17.8% | 530 | |
| Office Manager | -20.1% | 640 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -20.7% | 270 | |
| Project Coordinator | -21.8% | 500 | |
| Accountant | -23.5% | 1,120 | |
| Paralegal | -23.9% | 170 | |
| Executive Assistant | -27.2% | 250 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $40,980 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $52,877 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Jefferson City against the US
Jefferson City pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for virtual receptionists (-9.2%) and HR assistants (-10.7%) and largest for executive assistants (-27.2%). The middle gap across all 16 is -14.5%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #175 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for accountants, #505 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Jefferson City has more administrative assistants (22.7% of these jobs here, against 10.8% nationally) and HR assistants (0.8% against 0.6%), and fewer sales development representatives (2.7% against 8.0%) and medical administrative assistants (2.0% against 6.1%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Longview, TX is nearest, at -14.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | -14.5% | 15 | 7,570 |
| Jefferson City, MO | -14.5% (this area) | 16 | 8,300 |
| Longview, TX | -14.6% | 17 | 10,300 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | -14.7% | 15 | 4,400 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -14.7% | 14 | 2,520 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -14.7% | 17 | 11,380 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Jefferson City span $33,270–$121,530, the widest band (3.7×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $39,180–$47,660. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 14 of 16 roles, e-commerce order specialists most ($35,530–$63,530 across the US). Budget from the median for accountants, marketing specialists, sales development representatives and 5 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($71,860 against a $64,040 median for accountants).
Jefferson City against Missouri
Against Missouri as a whole, Jefferson City pays more only for sales development representatives (+2.3%), and less for 14, most of all paralegals (-22.1%). Its best rank within Missouri is #2 of 12 areas, for sales development representatives.
Other areas in Missouri
By jobs in these roles, Jefferson City is #7 of 12 areas in Missouri. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Kansas City to Cape Girardeau.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 118,710 | 17 |
| Springfield, MO | 20,430 | 16 |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | 10,450 | 16 |
| Columbia, MO | 10,200 | 16 |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | 10,000 | 17 |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | 7,120 | 15 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 6,160 | 14 |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | 5,240 | 16 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 3,920 | 15 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 3,590 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Jefferson City?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $79,980 a year, about $103,200 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $34,510.
Is hiring in Jefferson City cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-27.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.