Who Makes What

A peek at paychecks across the city

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Even in this era of reality TV and shameless Facebook photos, one topic still remains taboo: salaries.

Don’t believe us? Try calling a complete stranger and asking, “How much do you make?” You’ll soon realize nearly any job beats popping that question.

Take, for instance, the butcher who slammed down the phone after huffing, “I’d rather not comment.” Or the musician who replied, “I’m just not comfortable with strangers knowing how much I make.” Or the strip-club worker who hung up before we could even spit out the question. Get brushed off several dozen times, and it makes you start pondering whether your own paycheck is worth it.

Fortunately for us, some St. Louisans are more forthright than others. Some required no prodding at all, spilling enough info that we could almost help them file taxes. Others demanded anonymity but disclosed a number. And yet others offered at least a ballpark figure, still skittish after our pleas.

At times, we didn’t have to pose the question; we just had to know where to dig. State and city employees’ salaries, for instance, are public record. Nonprofits file tax documents that are subject to prying eyes. The same is true for publicly traded companies, which file proxies with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The result of our (understandably) thankless job is a glance at the community’s distribution of wealth across a wide range of fields, from the Rams’ starting running back to a tattoo artist. It’s a telling look at where St. Louis puts its priorities—and makes us wonder whether we should make some adjustments. Then again, it also satisfies our inexplicable curiosity about how much the Joneses are earning these days.

As for how we earned our own paycheck this month? We’re not gonna argue it’s the most dignified, tactful way to make a living. But at least it’s an honest one. 

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