As of 2019, Missouri was home to no less than 344 Health Professional Shortage Areas as designated by the federal government – one of the highest in the nation. So, it comes as no surprise that meeting the demand for healthcare workers – particularly nurses – continues to challenge the state.
According to the Missouri Hospital Association’s 2019 report, Missouri’s Health Care Workforce, healthcare remains the largest employment sector in the state, with the number of Missouri residents employed in healthcare expected to increase by 14 percent between 2016 and 2026 and account for 18 percent of the state’s job growth during this time.
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Highly educated nurses such as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are likely to continue to “play a critical role” in helping such residents get access to primary care, according to the state’s Office of Primary Care and Rural Health.
While APRNs traditionally hold a master’s degree, stakeholders advocate that these nurses earn the greatest amount of training possible for nurses—a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Obtaining a DNP offers an assurance of higher salaries, according to a 2018 Advance Healthcare Network survey of nurse practitioners across the country. The survey found that NPs with a DNP earned an average of 7% more than NPs with an MSN as their highest degree.
Salaries for DNP Nurses in Missouri and Throughout Its Major Cities
The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center provides salary information for DNP-educated advanced nursing professionals, both as a state as a whole and throughout its major cities of the state (2018):
- Nurse Administrators and Executives: $127,540-$177,860
- Nurse Educators: $89,490-$113,390
- Nurse Practitioners: $115,810-$133,910
- Nurse Anesthetists: $173,960+
Nurse Administrators and Executives:
- Columbia: $116,840-$144,880
- Jefferson City: $79,020-$95,440
- Kansas City: $127,010-$159,370
- St. Louis: $125,820-$173,200
Nurse Educators:
- Kansas City: $92,050-$120,770
- St. Louis: $88,890-$101,800
Nurse Anesthetists:
- Columbia: $164,480-$171,680
- Kansas City: $161,640+
- St. Louis: $169,870+
Nurse Practitioners:
- Columbia: $101,400-$113,360
- Joplin: $108,330-$123,200
- Kansas City: $123,730-$157,920
- St. Louis: $117,310-$133,440
Nurse-Midwives:
- Louis: $105,110-$124,830
An Overview of Hourly Wages for Missouri’s DNP-Educated Nurses
A 2019 Medscape Compensation Report found that 78% of APRNs are paid overtime, thus revealing that the majority of these nursing professionals are paid hourly – and that just as many enjoy opportunities to supplement their pay with overtime wages.
The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center provides hourly wages for DPN-educated nursing professionals, as of 2018:
- Nurse Anesthetists: $83.63+
- Nurse Practitioners: $55.68-$64.38
- Nurse Administrators: $61.32-$85.51
Salary and employment data compiled by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center in May of 2018 – (https://meric.mo.gov/data/occupation/occupational-projections). Salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
All salary and job growth data accessed in December 2019.
This page includes salaries that fall within the 75th and 90th percentiles for each nursing role to account for the fact that DNP-educated nurses are recognized as earning more than master’s-prepared nurses in the same roles.