Missouri Minimum Wage to Rise to $15 an Hour in January

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - Missouri’s minimum wage will increase from $13.75 to $15 an hour on January 1, placing the state ahead of many others nationwide.

The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says the $1.25 increase will apply to all non-exempt employers. The change follows the passage of House Bill 567, signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe on July 10.

The legislation repealed statewide earned paid sick time and modified Missouri’s minimum wage law by eliminating automatic inflation-based adjustments that were set to begin in 2027. The law keeps the $15 per hour rate in place for public employers and removes certain voter-approved worker protections for businesses as of August 28. Missouri is one of 34 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal rate, which remains at $7.25 an hour and has not changed since 2009. State labor officials note that Missouri had previously adjusted its minimum wage based on inflation, but that requirement will end once the $15 rate takes effect. Not all employers are required to pay the state minimum wage. Retail and service businesses with annual gross revenues under $500,000 are exempt and may set wages at their discretion.

The upcoming increase marks the second consecutive year Missouri’s minimum wage has risen by more than a dollar. Since 2019, the wage has increased by at least 75 cents annually in most years, reflecting a broader regional trend as neighboring states continue working toward higher minimum wages.