US Missouri Unemployment Benefits — Updated October 2026
Missouri Unemployment Benefits 2026: $320 Max, 20 Weeks and the One-Third Rule
⚠️ Informational only, not legal advice. The Missouri Division of Employment Security (DES) makes the official determination on every claim. Figures come from chapter 288 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, DES and the U.S. Department of Labor; anything we calculated ourselves is labeled “Computed by RemoteLaws.”
By the RemoteLaws Editorial Team · Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources: RSMo chapter 288, Missouri DES, U.S. Department of Labor
Missouri Unemployment at a Glance (2026)
| Item | Value | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly benefit amount (WBA) | 4% of the average of your two highest quarters, rounded down | RSMo 288.038; DES |
| Minimum and maximum | $35 to $320 | U.S. DOL July 2026; RSMo 288.038 |
| Duration | Up to 20 weeks; total capped at the lesser of 20 × WBA or one-third of base-period wages | DES; U.S. DOL Comparison, Table 3-11 |
| Qualifying | $1,500 in one quarter and total wages of 1.5 × the high quarter, or wages in 2+ quarters totalling 1.5 × the $9,000 taxable wage base ($13,500) | RSMo 288.030; U.S. DOL July 2026 |
| Part-time weeks | Pay above the greater of $20 or 20% of WBA is deducted | U.S. DOL July 2026; RSMo 288.060 |
| Waiting week | First eligible week unpaid | DES guide |
| Work search | 3 work search activities each week | DES guide |
| Appeal deadline | 30 calendar days after notice is delivered or mailed | RSMo 288.070 |
| Taxes | Subject to federal and Missouri income tax | DES guide |
| National rank (max rate, no dependents) | 46th of 51 (tied with Arizona) | U.S. DOL July 2026 (Computed by RemoteLaws) |
TL;DR
- Missouri pays 4% of the average of your two best quarters, from $35 up to $320 a week, for up to 20 weeks: at most $6,400 per claim (Computed by RemoteLaws).
- The $320 cap is reached with $8,000 in each of your two best quarters, roughly $32,000 a year. Anyone earning more gets the same check, so a $80,000 earner replaces only about 21% of weekly pay (Computed by RemoteLaws).
- Total benefits cannot exceed one-third of your base-period wages, so people who worked only two quarters typically get about 16.7 weeks, not 20.
- A second qualifying route ($13,500 across two or more quarters) rescues workers whose pay is too concentrated in one quarter for the 1.5 × test.
How Your Missouri Weekly Benefit Is Calculated
Your weekly benefit amount is 4% of the average of your two highest quarters in the base period, dropped to the next lower dollar, and capped at $320 (RSMo 288.038; DES). The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim (RSMo 288.030).
| Average of two best quarters | Weekly benefit | Approximate annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $80 | $8,000 |
| $4,000 | $160 | $16,000 |
| $6,000 | $240 | $24,000 |
| $8,000 | $320 | $32,000 |
| $12,000 | $320 | $48,000 |
Missouri Unemployment Calculator: Estimate Your Benefit or a Part-Time Week
Enter your four base-period quarters to check both qualifying tests, your weekly benefit, your maximum benefit amount and the number of weeks. The second tab applies the $20 or 20% disregard to a part-time week.
The $320 Cap and What It Replaces
RSMo 288.038 sets the maximum at $320, and DES confirms that is the maximum weekly benefit amount (DES). Because the cap binds at an $8,000 quarterly average, the share of pay Missouri replaces falls quickly above about $32,000 a year:
| Steady annual pay | Weekly pay | Weekly benefit | Share replaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $481 | $250 | 52% |
| $32,000 | $615 | $320 | 52% |
| $50,000 | $962 | $320 | 33% |
| $80,000 | $1,538 | $320 | 21% |
| $120,000 | $2,308 | $320 | 14% |
With the U.S. DOL July 2026 figures, only 5 jurisdictions have a lower maximum than Missouri’s $320 (U.S. DOL; Computed by RemoteLaws).
How Many Weeks You Get: the One-Third Rule
DES says 20 weeks is the maximum in a benefit year (DES). The U.S. Department of Labor describes Missouri’s maximum benefit amount as the lesser of 20 times the weekly benefit or one-third of base-period wages (Comparison of State UI Laws). Steady workers reach 20 weeks; people with fewer working quarters do not:
| Base-period wages | Weekly benefit | Maximum benefit amount | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8,000 in each of four quarters | $320 | $6,400 | 20.0 |
| $5,000 in each of four quarters | $200 | $4,000 | 20.0 |
| $10,000 + $2,000 + $2,000 + $1,000 | $240 | $4,800 | 20.0 |
| $6,000 + $3,000 | $180 | $3,000 | 16.7 |
| $10,000 + $5,000 | $300 | $5,000 | 16.7 |
An older provision of RSMo 288.060 that tied the number of weeks to the state unemployment rate is flagged by the Revisor of Statutes as declared unconstitutional in Pestka v. State, and DES describes a flat 20-week maximum (RSMo 288.060; DES).
Who Qualifies for Unemployment in Missouri
There are two ways to meet the wage test (RSMo 288.030):
- Main test: at least $1,500 in one quarter, and total base-period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter.
- Alternative test: wages in at least two quarters, with total base-period wages of at least 1.5 times the maximum taxable wage base. With the $9,000 wage base listed by the U.S. DOL for 2026, that is $13,500 (Computed by RemoteLaws).
The alternative matters for higher earners with lopsided years. Someone paid $10,000 in one quarter and $4,000 in another fails the main test ($15,000 needed) but passes the alternative with $14,000, and receives $280 a week (Computed by RemoteLaws).
Working Part-Time on Unemployment in Missouri
In a partial week, Missouri pays your weekly benefit minus the part of your wages above $20 or 20% of your weekly benefit, whichever is greater, rounded down to the dollar (RSMo 288.060; U.S. DOL July 2026). At the $320 maximum, the first $64 of pay is ignored; with a $300 benefit, $150 of pay leaves $210 (Computed by RemoteLaws).
How Missouri Compares With Its Neighbors
Missouri ranks 46th of 51 jurisdictions for the maximum weekly benefit without dependents, tied with Arizona, and every one of its eight neighbors pays more, Tennessee by just $5 (U.S. DOL July 2026; Computed by RemoteLaws).
| State | Maximum weekly benefit |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | $746 |
| Kansas | $663 |
| Oklahoma | $649 |
| Iowa | $644 |
| Illinois | $628 |
| Nebraska | $582 |
| Arkansas | $451 |
| Tennessee | $325 |
| Missouri | $320 |
Are Missouri Unemployment Benefits Taxable?
Yes. DES states that unemployment benefits are subject to federal and state income taxes (DES guide), and they are fully taxable for federal purposes (IRS Topic 418).
Waiting Week, Work Search and Appeals
Waiting week: the first week you are eligible is not paid (DES guide).
Work search: DES warns that failing to make three work search activities may result in the denial of benefits (DES guide).
Appeals: a determination becomes final unless you appeal within 30 calendar days after notice is delivered in person or mailed to your last known address; for notices sent electronically at your request, the transmission date counts as the mailing date, and the period may be extended for good cause (RSMo 288.070).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Missouri unemployment calculator?
Yes. The RemoteLaws Missouri Unemployment Benefits Calculator on this page checks both qualifying tests, computes 4% of the average of your two best quarters (capped at $320), your maximum benefit amount under the one-third rule and your weeks, and estimates a part-time week. DES makes the official determination.
How much unemployment will I get in Missouri?
4% of the average of your two highest base-period quarters, between $35 and $320 a week. For example, $6,000 in each of your two best quarters gives $240 a week (Computed by RemoteLaws).
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Missouri in 2026?
$320 a week, for at most 20 weeks, which is $6,400 per claim. You reach it with an $8,000 average in your two best quarters.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Missouri?
Up to 20 weeks, but your total cannot exceed one-third of your base-period wages. Steady four-quarter workers usually get the full 20 weeks; people with wages in only two quarters often get about 16 or 17 (Computed by RemoteLaws).
Can I work part-time and collect unemployment in Missouri?
Yes. Pay up to $20 or 20% of your weekly benefit, whichever is greater, is ignored; anything above that is subtracted from your benefit, rounded down to the dollar.
Is there a waiting week in Missouri?
Yes. The first week you are eligible for benefits is not paid.
How long do I have to appeal a Missouri unemployment decision?
30 calendar days after the notice of determination is delivered in person or mailed to your last known address.
What We Verified & Correction Log
- Verified on October 26, 2026 against RSMo 288.030, 288.038, 288.060 and 288.070 (revisor.mo.gov), the DES benefits FAQ and the DES guide MODES-INF-170 (03-26), the U.S. DOL July 2026 report and the U.S. DOL Comparison of State UI Laws.
- Corrected: the previous version cited RSMo 288.050 for the 20-week duration and gave no rule for shorter claims; the page now shows the one-third-of-wages cap and how it cuts weeks.
- Corrected October 29, 2026: the national rank was given as 45th; with Tennessee at $325, Missouri and Arizona ($320) rank 46th of 51 (tied).
- Added: the alternative $13,500 qualifying test, the replacement-rate table, the part-time disregard, the 30-day appeal rule and a new calculator. The page was converted from the page builder to a single HTML page.