Kansas Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Kansas.
The average salary in Kansas is $92,072 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Wichita). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Pediatrician at $228,820 median; 16 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 84, the average median equates to $109,610 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Kansas has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Kansas job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Kansas
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 50 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($228,820)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 550 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($156,130)
Financial Manager
Finance · 1,060 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($155,060)
Marketing Manager
Management · 240 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($150,210)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 580 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($142,400)
Sales Manager
Management · 960 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($134,650)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 220 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($132,050)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 120 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($123,940)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 240 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($121,640)
Lawyer
Legal · 690 jobs in state · top metro: Wichita ($121,510)
Cities in Kansas
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Kansas is $92,072 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Pediatrician at $228,820 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Kansas, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Pediatrician ($228,820), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($156,130), Financial Manager ($155,060), Marketing Manager ($150,210), Pharmacist ($142,400). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/kansas.
16 of the 58 BLS-tracked occupations in Kansas have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Wichita, KS leads Kansas with an average median salary of $92,072 across 58 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Kansas's tracked metros is 84 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $92,072 translates to $109,610 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Kansas, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
58 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.