Average salary in Kansas

1 min readLast updated May 19, 2023by Charlie Barton

Learn about the average salaries and highest paying counties in Kansas

Kansas, located in the heartland of the United States, offers a lower cost of living compared to some other states. However, salaries can still vary depending on the region and industry. Whether you're a current resident of Kansas or considering a move, understanding the financial landscape of the state can be beneficial.

Known for its agricultural production, as well as its strong aviation and manufacturing industries, it's important to do research specific to your industry and job role to understand what salary expectations you should have in Kansas. Also, which cities and counties offer the highest average salaries?

Average salary in Kansas by city

City living is often more expensive than living in more rural areas, but it’s also where the money is. Kansas’ own cities can vary massively in average salary; cities like Lenexa commands well into six figures, while Salina’s average sits around $50,000.

Average earnings by city—or any other geographical metric—is just one way of calculating wealth, and certainly shouldn’t be the only way you look at your own earning potential in a given place. It doesn’t take into account the type of jobs that people do to earn above or below this average bracket, and omits any consideration for the number of people living in a household. However, it’s certainly one way of establishing which place offers good earning opportunities.

The US Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey has calculated the average earnings for the 10 largest cities in Kansas, which you can find ranked below.

  1. Lenexa: $101,652

  2. Overland Park: $95,852

  3. Olathe: $91,268

  4. Shawnee: $87,660

  5. Lawrence: $58,722

  6. Manhattan: $57,522

  7. Wichita: $55,176

  8. Kansas City: $54,042

  9. Topeka: $51,299

  10. Salina: $50,199

Average salary in Kansas by county

Reviewing average salaries in Kansas by city is not necessarily an adequate metric for average salaries across the state, since it’s entirely urban focused. A good idea is to weigh these figures up against the average salary in Kansas by county, as this will take areas outside the main cities into account and offer a broader idea of salary ranges.

The same survey from the US Census Bureau gives further insight this way, with the average household income calculated for each county.

  1. Johnson County: $102,407

  2. Leavenworth County: $72,733

  3. Douglas County: $66,878

  4. Riley County: $64,648

  5. Sedgwick County: $62,547

  6. Shawnee County: $59,228

  7. Saline County: $57,405

  8. Reno County: $56,421

  9. Wyandotte County: $49,620

  10. Crawford County: $48,738

Highest paying jobs in Kansas

There’s another weighty factor that will influence how much you earn if you live in Kansas: your job type. Average salaries for various sectors and job roles can vary massively across the state, so it’s absolutely something to consider when looking at salaries by location.

Zippia Learn has calculated a comprehensive list of annual salaries by occupation area, which you can also find below.

  1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: $155,096

  2. Emergency Medicine Specialist: $141,621

  3. Public Health Dentist: $135,584

  4. Family Practitioner: $134,512

  5. Clinical Physician Assistant: $130,488

  6. Vice President & General Manager: $121,887

  7. Executive Director Business Development: $108,856

  8. Lead Development Engineer: $104,795

  9. Contractor-Registered Nurse: $102,349

  10. Vice President, Software Development: $102,009

  11. Business Program Manager: $100,421

  12. Senior Software Engineer Lead: $99,539

  13. Business Unit Manager: $99,339

  14. Software Development Engineer Lead: $98,444

  15. Business Development Lead: $96,540

  16. Director Of User Experience: $95,809

  17. Data Center Operations Manager: $94,797

  18. Software Engineer-Team Lead: $94,746

  19. Software Engineer Lead: $94,495

  20. Senior Software Support Engineer: $90,697

Frequently asked questions about salaries in Kansas

What is the average salary in Kansas by age?
Alongside location and occupation, salaries in Kansas are also dependent on age, since more senior workers will be paid more. Then, when they retire, their income will dip again as they will rely on pensions and other forms of set income.

The Census Bureau data finds that householders under 25 years old have a median household income of $37,366, those aged 25 to 44 have a median income of $65,365, those aged 45 to 64 years old have a median income of $71,570, and those 65 years and older have a median income of $47,737.

What is a ‘good’ salary in Kansas?
The median household income in Kansas is $61,030. However, what constitutes a 'good' salary can vary depending on factors such as job industry, location, education, and experience. It's also important to factor in individual circumstances, such as the cost of living in the area and personal financial goals.

What is the average salary in Kansas by hour?
If Americans work an average of 1,801 hours per year—at 37.5 hours a week—then the average hourly salary in Kansas is $22.78.

Getting expert advice before you make significant financial decisions can really benefit you in the long term. Protect your financial future and speak to one of our financial advisors today.

Writer

Charlie Barton

Charlie Barton is a writer at Unbiased. He has been writing about personal finance and investing since 2017, with extensive knowledge of platforms and products. Charlie has a first-class degree from the London School of Economics.