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Job Ads Comparison - February 2026
Job postings increased 18.2 percent from February 2025 to February 2026. In February 2026, there were 73,470 online job postings compared to 62,180 in February 2025. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.9 percent in Missouri in February 2026 and decreased slightly from the February 2025 rate of 4 percent. Postings for Registered Nurses increased 90 percent, mostly due to an increase in postings from medical staffing companies. First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers had the only decrease in job postings over the period (-1%).

Occupational Handbook: Material Moving Machine Operator
Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects. For example, some operators move goods around factories and storage areas or onto container ships, while others move construction materials around building sites. Most material moving machine operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Since materials are shipped around the clock, some operators work overnight shifts. Education requirements vary by occupation. Crane and tower operators are one example of a material moving machine operator. In Missouri, the average wage for the occupation was $60,110 in 2024.