Pharmacy Aides Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy aides in Missouri is $37,820/year ($18.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $42,509 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $38K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About pharmacy aides
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pharmacy aides pay in Missouri tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 41.9% 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 pharmacy aides (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacy Aides salary by metro in Missouri
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $41K | +8% | 30 |
| St. Louis | $38K | +2% | 350 |
| Kansas City | $37K | -2% | 260 |
| Springfield | $35K | -8% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacy aides salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a pharmacy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 41.9% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacy aides in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy aides typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,377/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pharmacy aide a high-paying job in Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for pharmacy aides?
Missouri pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacy aides make in Missouri?
The median is $37,820 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,980, and experienced pharmacy aides can clear $49,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,619/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 41.9% 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 pharmacy aides 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 pharmacy aides salary is worth about $42,509 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pharmacy aides 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.