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What does a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary really buy you in Missouri?
Missouri is 8.9% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Missouri's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.1, meaning prices are 8.9% lower the national average. A Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers earning $48,560 in Missouri has the equivalent purchasing power of $53,304 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,120 | $42,941 | +$3,821 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $44,440 | $48,781 | +$4,341 |
| Median (P50) | $48,560 | $53,304 | +$4,744 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $50,520 | $55,455 | +$4,935 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $56,420 | $61,931 | +$5,511 |
A Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in Missouri earns $48,560 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 10% further — like earning $53,304 in an average-cost state. This makes Missouri one of the best value states for this occupation.
Missouri's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 91.1 means a basket of goods and services costs about 8.9% less than the national average. For a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
After applying Missouri's RPP, the $48,560 median salary translates to $53,304 in real terms — a 9.8% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers, Missouri places #4 of 37 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Missouri ranks #4 out of 37 states for Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers take-home pay in Missouri after taxes →
A Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in Missouri earns a median salary of $48,560 per year. After adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (RPP=91.1), the real purchasing power is $53,304 — a +9.8% difference.
Missouri's cost of living is 8.9% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Missouri is 91.1 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in Missouri: $48,560 x (100 / 91.1) = $53,304. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers in Missouri enjoys 9.8% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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