Highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau
Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.
In Cape Girardeau, the annual mean wage is $44,720 or 23.2% lower than national mean of $58,260, while the highest-paying occupation makes $245,700. Read on to see which jobs make the list.
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Cape Girardeau metro area
#50. Conservation scientists
- Annual mean salary: $58,240
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,230
- Employment: 22,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, MA-CT ($108,670)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($106,200)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($101,900)

#49. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- Employment: 172,830
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($88,140)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($84,690)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($80,570)

#48. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $58,800
- #228 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,340
- Employment: 422,600
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)
#47. Accountants and auditors
- Annual mean salary: $60,570
- #385 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,980
- Employment: 1,318,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,830)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($109,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($107,540)

#46. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,330
- Employment: 629,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($90,410)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Cape Girardeau metro area

#45. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- Employment: 1,242,490
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)
#44. Social and community service managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,560
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $76,790
- Employment: 156,400
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($100,530)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,240)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($98,200)
#43. Registered nurses
- Annual mean salary: $62,250
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,510
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,750
- Employment: 3,047,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($155,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($151,640)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($146,360)
#42. Compliance officers
- Annual mean salary: $62,480
- #286 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,810
- Employment: 334,340
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,650)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($99,460)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($96,030)

#41. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $62,600
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,340
- Employment: 1,903,420
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Cape Girardeau, MO-IL ($62,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($62,290)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($61,540)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Cape Girardeau

#40. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $63,480
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- Employment: 55,950
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)
#39. Clinical and counseling psychologists
- Annual mean salary: $64,510
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $99,640
- Employment: 58,100
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($136,630)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($134,200)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($133,060)

#38. Cost estimators
- Annual mean salary: $65,050
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,740
- Employment: 208,950
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($104,660)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,550)

#37. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $65,610
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 210,680
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#36. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $65,780
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $93,260
- Employment: 426,870
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($154,880)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($141,290)
--- Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($121,180)
You may also like: Highest paying jobs in Cape Girardeau that require a graduate degree

#35. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,870
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,060
- Employment: 665,870
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)
#34. Network and computer systems administrators
- Annual mean salary: $68,380
- #346 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,250
- Employment: 316,760
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($135,440)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,370)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($110,930)

#33. Management analysts
- Annual mean salary: $68,480
- #367 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $100,530
- Employment: 768,450
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($135,020)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($127,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($125,250)
#32. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $69,170
- #262 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $81,360
- Employment: 207,190
- Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($125,750)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($119,320)

#31. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,850
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,370
- Employment: 107,890
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)
You may also like: Highest-earning zip codes in Cape Girardeau metro area
#30. Industrial engineers
- Annual mean salary: $70,520
- #338 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- Employment: 293,950
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($142,770)
--- Midland, TX ($129,440)
--- Billings, MT ($126,170)

#29. Loan officers
- Annual mean salary: $71,160
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,570
- Employment: 340,170
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($111,830)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($106,290)
--- Wilmington, NC ($104,930)
#28. Speech-language pathologists
- Annual mean salary: $72,130
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,820
- Employment: 147,470
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,260)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($111,120)
--- Salinas, CA ($107,160)

#27. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $72,950
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)
#26. Occupational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $73,660
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $89,470
- Employment: 127,830
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,210)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($113,190)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Cape Girardeau that don't require a college degree
#25. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $74,100
- #268 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#24. Computer systems analysts
- Annual mean salary: $74,630
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)

#23. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $76,270
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- Employment: 123,940
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)
#22. Civil engineers
- Annual mean salary: $78,760
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,490
- Employment: 304,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($119,720)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,550)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($115,120)
#21. Physical therapists
- Annual mean salary: $80,180
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- Employment: 225,350
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($123,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,370)
--- Midland, TX ($116,880)
You may also like: Where people in Cape Girardeau are moving to most
#20. Project management specialists
- Annual mean salary: $80,420
- #278 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,420
- Employment: 743,860
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,950)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($130,250)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($125,330)
#19. General and operations managers
- Annual mean salary: $81,080
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,160
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)
#18. Facilities managers
- Annual mean salary: $81,600
- #267 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $82,780
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,750
- Employment: 266,160
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,760)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($141,470)
--- Iowa City, IA ($138,870)
#16. Veterinarians
- Annual mean salary: $84,070
- #279 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $109,920
- Employment: 77,260
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,440)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,670)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($140,390)
You may also like: People from these metros are finding new jobs in Cape Girardeau

#15. Software developers
- Annual mean salary: $85,160
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)
#14. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Annual mean salary: $86,330
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $102,650
- Employment: 274,710
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($143,450)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,330)
#13. Construction managers
- Annual mean salary: $88,440
- #301 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#12. Industrial production managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,190
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#11. Sales managers
- Annual mean salary: $100,460
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Cape Girardeau

#10. Medical and health services managers
- Annual mean salary: $104,280
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#9. Nurse practitioners
- Annual mean salary: $105,620
- #295 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $118,040
- Employment: 234,690
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($197,870)
--- Napa, CA ($184,700)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($180,380)
#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Annual mean salary: $107,170
- #344 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)
#7. Lawyers
- Annual mean salary: $118,110
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $148,030
- Employment: 681,010
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($191,460)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,610)

#6. Financial managers
- Annual mean salary: $125,440
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)
You may also like: Metros sending the most people to Cape Girardeau
#5. Pharmacists
- Annual mean salary: $129,460
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,690
- Employment: 312,550
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,840)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($158,420)
#4. Dentists, general
- Annual mean salary: $161,770
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $167,160
- Employment: 108,680
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($276,510)
--- Salinas, CA ($234,410)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($229,800)
#3. Chief executives
- Annual mean salary: $164,290
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)
#2. Nurse anesthetists
- Annual mean salary: $204,030
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $202,470
- Employment: 43,950
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Springfield, IL ($298,890)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($283,550)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($276,810)
#1. Family medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $245,700
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $235,930
- Employment: 102,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($336,820)
--- Fond du Lac, WI ($336,140)
--- Gainesville, GA ($330,930)
You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in Cape Girardeau metro area