Cost of Average Hospital Stay Vs. Minimum Wage Earnings in KS, MO

Posted April 3, 2024

An individual earning minimum wage in Kansas or Missouri would need to work around 1,000 hours to afford a hospital stay, according to a study from ValuePenguin.

The ValuePenguin study compared the cost of an average hospital stay in each state. Using data from KFF, Definitive Healthcare and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study found the average hospital stay would cost $2,883 and typically is 4.5 days long.

The cost of an average stay was a 161.7 percent increase from 1999 when the average cost was just $1,102 a day. Americans who earn average wages would need to work 384 hours to afford a stay, however, this number is for those whose earnings are $33.82 an hour — far above minimum wage.

In Missouri, which recently had a bump in minimum wages to $12.00 an hour, the average hospital stay costs $11,912. This means a Missourian earning minimum wage would need to work 993 hours to afford the expenditure.

Missouri residents who earn the state average wage of $28.75 would need to work 414 hours.

Kansans would need to work more hours as the state’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. The average hospital stay would cost $10,215 and the required hours to afford that price equates to 1,409.

Kansas residents who earn the state average wage of $28.59 would need to work 357 hours.

Other key findings show New Mexico residents have to work the most hours to afford a hospital stay. In New Mexico, with an average wage of $27.04, a hospital stay costs $15,719, meaning residents would need to work 581 hours.