Missouri Quality Jobs Program
Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED)
Varies — % of new payroll
Missouri payroll withholding for quality job creation
Missouri's Quality Jobs Program lets qualifying businesses retain their employees' Missouri state income tax withholdings — money that would otherwise go to the state — for up to 5 or 7 years, based on job quality and wages. Companies creating at least 2 new jobs in high-growth sectors or 10 new jobs in any sector with wages meeting 120% of county average can also qualify for refundable tax credits. Approved before new hiring begins.
- Funding type
- Tax Credit
- Level
- State
- Amount
- Qualifying companies retain 100% of employees' Missouri income tax withholding on new jobs for 5 years (standard) or 7 years (if average new wages meet or exceed 120% of county average wage). For high-impact sectors (life sciences, IT, advanced manufacturing, financial services), minimum 2 new jobs may qualify. Discretionary refundable tax credits may also be available.
- Realistic amount
- A company creating 20 new jobs at $65,000 average salary generates roughly $72,000/year in MO withholding. At 5 years, t…
- Deadline
- Rolling — must apply and receive approval before new jobs are created.
- Status
- discontinued
- States
- MO
- Payment model
- tax offset
Who qualifies
- For-profit business creating new full-time jobs with health insurance benefits in Missouri
- New jobs must pay wages meeting or exceeding the county average wage (or 120% of county average for the full 7-year benefit period)
- High-growth sector companies (life sciences, IT, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, financial services, etc.) may qualify with as few as 2 new jobs
- All other qualifying sectors require at least 10 new jobs
- Must apply and receive a Quality Jobs Certificate BEFORE hiring begins
- Business must provide health insurance covering at least 50% of employee premiums for new hires
- Retail and non-qualifying businesses are generally excluded
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Employee Missouri income tax withholding on qualifying new full-time hires (retained rather than remitted)
- Discretionary refundable tax credits (applied against Missouri income tax liability, refundable if excess)
Ineligible expenses
- Withholding on pre-existing employees
- Part-time or seasonal positions
- Benefits other than wages and health insurance
- Retail sector operations
How to apply
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1
Contact Missouri DED for pre-application review
Reach out to a Missouri DED business retention and recruitment specialist to confirm sector eligibility, job creation thresholds, and wage requirements before investing in the application.
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2
Submit Quality Jobs application to DED
File the DED application describing the company, the new jobs to be created (titles, wages, benefits), the project timeline, and the 'but for' rationale showing Missouri was not the automatic choice for the investment.
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3
Receive Quality Jobs Certificate
Upon approval, DED issues a Quality Jobs Certificate authorizing the company to retain employee Missouri withholding taxes on qualifying new hires. Begin hiring after certificate issuance.
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4
Retain withholding taxes through payroll
Each payroll period, retain the Missouri income tax withholding for qualifying new employees rather than remitting it to MODOR. Maintain payroll records documenting qualifying vs. non-qualifying employees.
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5
Annual compliance reporting
Submit annual reports to DED confirming job counts, average wages, and health insurance coverage. Failure to maintain required employment levels or wages can trigger claw-back of benefits.
The 7-year (vs 5-year) benefit period triggers at 120% of county average wage — engineer your new job offer packages around that threshold for maximum program value.
Deadline & timing
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis by Missouri DED. Must submit and receive a Quality Jobs Certificate BEFORE hiring the qualifying employees. Retroactive applications are not accepted. DED reviews take 4–8 weeks on average.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.