SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in St. Louis, MO-IL (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + MO + Municipal
COL Index: 102.33 (+2.3% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.8% Realized
$39,233 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,790 $24.90/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.25% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$9,449 $363.44/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $24.90 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,107/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$373/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,662
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,211
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$751
Missouri Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,308
St. Louis earnings tax
1.00%
-$518
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,233 ($1,508.97 / check)
Category 2 of 6

St. Louis, MO-IL Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $51,790
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $35.3k 25th $44.7k Median: $51,790 50th (Median) $51.8k 75th $63.8k 90th $80.0k You: $51,790
10th (Entry) $35,260 $16.95/hr
25th (Junior) $44,700 $21.49/hr
50th (Median) $51,790 $24.90/hr
75th (Senior) $63,830 $30.69/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $80,010 $38.47/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$34,121$16.40/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$49,050$23.58/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$66,110$31.78/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$87,436$42.04/hr · 8+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in St. Louis, MO-IL under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
34% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,104/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,349/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,960
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.63/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.07/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in St. Louis, MO-IL.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$51,790-$9,449$39,233$1,508.97
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$61,501-$11,823$45,987$1,768.74
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$71,211-$14,223$52,715$2,027.50
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$80,922-$17,486$58,580$2,253.08
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$90,633-$20,749$64,445$2,478.66
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Missouri tax codes.

Market Baseline
$51,790/yr
$24.90/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
18.25% Effective
-$9,449 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,165/mo
Post-$1,104/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-9061
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in St. Louis, MO-IL report a median annual wage of $51,790, 6.6% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $35,260 to $80,010, and HUD’s $1,104 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.63 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+77.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+48.3%
Savannah, GA$72,800+40.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+38.9%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+38.0%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+31.4%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+27.1%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+23.4%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+22.7%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+22.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in St. Louis, MO-IL

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$202,840$97.52/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,130$80.35/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,660$78.20/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$158,820$76.36/hr
Financial Manager$158,780$76.34/hr
Marketing Managers$137,900$66.30/hr
Physician Assistant$136,120$65.44/hr
Purchasing Managers$135,400$65.10/hr
Human Resources Managers$133,880$64.37/hr
Nurse Practitioner$131,580$63.26/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in St. Louis, MO-IL (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in St. Louis, MO-IL is $51,790 a year ($24.90/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL?

The median annual wage is $51,790 ($24.90 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $35,260 and $80,010. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in St. Louis, MO-IL after taxes?

On the median wage of $51,790, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,807 a year ($3,484 a month) after $9,983 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.28%, using 2026 tax rules.