MO · Cost to hire 2026
How much does it cost to hire an employee in Missouri?
The real first-year cost of a W-2 hire in Missouri is the ongoing fully-loaded payroll plus the one-time spend to recruit, onboard, and equip the person. A $75,000 hire runs about $109,305 in year one.
For a new employer in Missouri, the first-year cost to hire is ongoing fully-loaded payroll plus the one-time outlays that land up front: roughly $8,500 for recruiting, onboarding, and equipment, plus about $1,500 a year for payroll and HR software. On the recurring side, State Unemployment Insurance runs 2.376% on the first $9,500 of wages, a cap of $225.72 per worker, stacked on federal FUTA, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%). Missouri taxes wage income at the state level, so withholding setup belongs in onboarding even though the tax is the employee's. The hiring economy spans automotive and aerospace manufacturing in St. Louis and Kansas City, an agricultural supply chain across rural counties, and logistics and distribution along the I-70 corridor. Manufacturing and warehouse roles often require tooling, safety equipment, or vehicle setup that push one-time costs above the default, and skilled positions can take longer and cost more to recruit. Model the full first-year figure, ongoing payroll plus one-time costs, before you extend an offer rather than budgeting from salary alone.
Estimate a Missouri hire
Pre-filled with Missouri's 2.38% new-employer SUI rate. Adjust salary, benefits, and one-time costs to fit your hire.
First-year cost of a $75,000 hire in Missouri
| Recurring (annual) | |
| Base salary | $75,000 |
| Employer payroll taxes | $6,005 |
| Workers' comp | $750 |
| Benefits | $10,050 |
| Overhead | $7,500 |
| Software & toolsrecurs yearly | $1,500 |
| One-time (year one) | |
| Recruiting | $4,000 |
| Onboarding & training | $2,000 |
| Equipment & setup | $2,500 |
| Ongoing annual cost (year 2+) | $100,805 |
| Total first-year cost | $109,305 |
First-year cost by salary in Missouri
| Base salary | First-year total |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $78,893 |
| $75,000 | $109,305 |
| $100,000 | $139,718 |
What drives the cost in Missouri
Missouri's new-employer SUI rate is 2.38% on the first $9,500 of wages, a maximum of $226 per worker per year (above the national average of 2.07%). That sits on top of 7.65% employer FICA and 0.6% FUTA. Missouri taxes wage income, which the employee pays, so it adds administration but not direct employer cost.
Compare and dig deeper
Weighing an employee against a contractor? See the Missouri W-2 vs 1099 comparison for the breakeven contract rate. Compare neighboring markets, including Hawaii, Oregon, Wyoming, Indiana, or read how much it costs to hire an employee nationally.
Cost-to-hire FAQ for Missouri
- What is the first-year cost to hire in Missouri?
- Ongoing fully-loaded payroll (salary, 2.376% SUI on the first $9,500 of wages up to $225.72, FUTA, Social Security, and Medicare) plus one-time hiring costs of about $8,500 for recruiting, onboarding, and equipment, and roughly $1,500 a year for payroll software. The one-time portion concentrates in the first twelve months.
- How much SUI does a Missouri employer pay per worker?
- A new employer pays 2.376% on the first $9,500 of each worker's wages, capping SUI at $225.72 per employee per year. Wages above $9,500 carry no further SUI. This recurring cost is modest compared with the roughly $8,500 in front-loaded recruiting and equipment outlays.
- How do industry needs change first-year cost in Missouri?
- The default one-time setup is about $8,500, but automotive, aerospace, and I-70 logistics roles often need tooling, safety gear, or vehicle provisioning that exceed it, and skilled-trades recruiting can run longer. Adjust the equipment and recruiting inputs so the first-year total reflects the actual role, not a generic default.