Tax jurisdiction · United States
Missouri athlete tax: what a pro athlete really pays
Missouri takes 4.7% of a top-end athlete salary, which is $470,000 on a $10M contract. That ranks 40 of 66 jurisdictions we track. Against a no-tax state the same deal is worth $470,000 less.
Missouri tax at each contract size
| Contract | Missouri tax | Effective rate | Left before federal tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | $47,000 | 4.7% | $953,000 |
| $5,000,000 | $235,000 | 4.7% | $4,765,000 |
| $10,000,000 | $470,000 | 4.7% | $9,530,000 |
| $25,000,000 | $1,175,000 | 4.7% | $23,825,000 |
These figures are the state bill alone. Federal tax, FICA, agent fees and league deductions all come off the remainder.
Teams in Missouri
5 teams play in Missouri:
- Kansas City Chiefs · NFL
- Kansas City Royals · MLB
- St. Louis Cardinals · MLB
- St. Louis Blues · NHL
- Missouri (MO) · NCAA
Each team page runs a full contract through the federal brackets, Missouri's state tax, agent fees and league deductions to give a take-home figure.
How Missouri compares
| Benchmark | Top rate | On a $10M contract | Difference vs Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 4.7% | $470,000 | — |
| Texas (no income tax) | 0% | $0 | +$470,000 |
| California (highest US state) | 13.3% | $1,330,000 | -$860,000 |
Signed from Missouri's point of view: a positive number is what Missouri takes that the benchmark does not.
The jock tax in Missouri
Every state with an income tax taxes visiting athletes on duty days worked inside its borders. Missouri is no exception. A player who lives elsewhere owes Missouri only on the share of the season spent here, calculated by counting practice and game days.
The reverse is the bigger number. A Missouri resident owes Missouri on the entire salary no matter where the games are played, which is why residency — not team location — drives most of the planning.
Frequently asked
How much state tax does a $10M athlete salary pay in Missouri?
$470,000 at the 4.7% top marginal rate. Our model applies the top rate to the whole salary, which overstates the bill slightly and therefore understates take-home pay.
Do away games change what an athlete owes Missouri?
If the player is a Missouri resident, the state taxes the full salary regardless of where games are played. Non-residents owe Missouri only on duty days worked here, which is the jock tax.