Orderlies Salary
Orderlies in Missouri make a median of $35,620 a year, or about $17.13 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $40,036 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Missouri?
About orderlies
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What this looks like in Missouri
Orderlies pay in Missouri tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level orderlies (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Orderlies salary by metro in Missouri
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $37K | +4% | 320 |
| St. Louis | $36K | +0% | 440 |
Compare to other states
Track orderlies salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a orderly afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for orderlies in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new orderlies typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,906/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is orderly a high-paying job in Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for orderlies?
Missouri pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do orderlies make in Missouri?
The median is $35,620 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,770, and experienced orderlies can clear $42,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,480/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 44.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a orderlies salary go in Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median orderlies salary is worth about $40,036 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do orderlies get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
