High paying entry level jobs in Kansas City, MO-KS

These occupations in Kansas City, MO-KS ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Kansas City, MO-KS run 7.5% below the national average (2024), so a Kansas City, MO-KS salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Kansas City, MO-KS

OccupationMedian, Kansas City, MO-KS · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$218,080
Master's degree
$167,250 – $464,130980
2Dentists, General$171,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,610 – $340,3301,070
3Pharmacists$139,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,500 – $172,4302,640
4Optometrists$138,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,640 – $176,030450
5Lawyers$134,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,310 – $287,2005,310
6Physician Assistants$133,350
Master's degree
$101,600 – $165,740540
7Nurse Practitioners$130,760
Master's degree
$97,030 – $159,8102,730
8Software Developers$124,990
Bachelor's degree
$76,340 – $169,44012,160
9Veterinarians$122,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,910 – $199,910750
10Special Education Teachers, Preschool$119,560
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $119,570380
11Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$113,090
Bachelor's degree
$82,770 – $172,950520
12Electrical Engineers$110,740
Bachelor's degree
$78,080 – $166,7101,760
13Computer Occupations, All Other$105,470
Bachelor's degree
$59,630 – $162,5103,900
14Database Administrators$103,640
Bachelor's degree
$62,200 – $155,980440
15Chemical Engineers$102,320
Bachelor's degree
$84,300 – $159,770380
16Computer Programmers$101,830
Bachelor's degree
$63,110 – $133,590500
17Computer Systems Analysts$101,340
Bachelor's degree
$64,520 – $165,3904,180
18Physical Therapists$101,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,170 – $125,7902,010
19Project Management Specialists$101,050
Bachelor's degree
$60,230 – $168,9308,380
20Industrial Engineers$100,480
Bachelor's degree
$74,200 – $155,9002,080
21Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,450
Associate's degree
$77,070 – $123,300660
22Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$100,150
Associate's degree
$54,960 – $127,480600
23Data Scientists$99,870
Bachelor's degree
$61,820 – $149,0601,260
24Occupational Therapists$99,840
Master's degree
$70,890 – $122,9601,360
25Mechanical Engineers$99,630
Bachelor's degree
$78,070 – $136,6504,330
26Teachers and Instructors, All Other$99,070
Bachelor's degree
$35,630 – $124,200590
27Civil Engineers$98,860
Bachelor's degree
$68,040 – $155,1103,230
28Financial and Investment Analysts$97,680
Bachelor's degree
$62,500 – $141,1302,050
29Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$95,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,280 – $195,050860
30Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$94,970
Bachelor's degree
$52,650 – $134,2901,430
31Engineers, All Other$93,330
Bachelor's degree
$60,890 – $159,980580
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$92,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,200 – $139,210850
33Dental Hygienists$92,750
Associate's degree
$75,550 – $97,2601,800
34Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,980
Bachelor's degree
$62,640 – $133,9702,760
35Business Operations Specialists, All Other$90,060
Bachelor's degree
$54,850 – $135,6608,350
36Web Developers$89,420
Bachelor's degree
$58,810 – $156,830520
37Chemists$83,420
Bachelor's degree
$53,360 – $134,660550
38Registered Nurses$83,040
Bachelor's degree
$66,970 – $103,54029,650
39Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$81,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,190 – $192,8801,320
40Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$80,690
Bachelor's degree
$53,020 – $135,660580
41Accountants and Auditors$80,040
Bachelor's degree
$54,680 – $130,32011,260
42Respiratory Therapists$79,140
Associate's degree
$63,100 – $97,1401,190
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,340
Associate's degree
$55,850 – $99,1801,860
44Mechanical Drafters$76,340
Associate's degree
$51,110 – $120,260390
45Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$76,330
Associate's degree
$45,350 – $105,200430
46Human Resources Specialists$75,190
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $119,0706,950
47Biological Scientists, All Other$74,810
Bachelor's degree
$43,710 – $122,310670
48Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,250
Associate's degree
$50,680 – $99,250910
49Credit Analysts$73,330
Bachelor's degree
$52,670 – $127,510390
50Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$72,580
Bachelor's degree
$43,130 – $131,0806,920

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianKansas City, MO-KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$218,080	$167,250 – $464,130	980
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$171,690	$95,610 – $340,330	1,070
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,460	$85,500 – $172,430	2,640
4	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,580	$93,640 – $176,030	450
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$134,640	$78,310 – $287,200	5,310
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,350	$101,600 – $165,740	540
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,760	$97,030 – $159,810	2,730
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$124,990	$76,340 – $169,440	12,160
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$122,490	$76,910 – $199,910	750
10	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$119,560	$47,200 – $119,570	380
11	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$113,090	$82,770 – $172,950	520
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$110,740	$78,080 – $166,710	1,760
13	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,470	$59,630 – $162,510	3,900
14	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,640	$62,200 – $155,980	440
15	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,320	$84,300 – $159,770	380
16	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$101,830	$63,110 – $133,590	500
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,340	$64,520 – $165,390	4,180
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,270	$75,170 – $125,790	2,010
19	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,050	$60,230 – $168,930	8,380
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,480	$74,200 – $155,900	2,080
21	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,450	$77,070 – $123,300	660
22	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$100,150	$54,960 – $127,480	600
23	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$99,870	$61,820 – $149,060	1,260
24	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,840	$70,890 – $122,960	1,360
25	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,630	$78,070 – $136,650	4,330
26	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,070	$35,630 – $124,200	590
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,860	$68,040 – $155,110	3,230
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,680	$62,500 – $141,130	2,050
29	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$95,630	$45,280 – $195,050	860
30	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$94,970	$52,650 – $134,290	1,430
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$93,330	$60,890 – $159,980	580
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$92,900	$61,200 – $139,210	850
33	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,750	$75,550 – $97,260	1,800
34	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,980	$62,640 – $133,970	2,760
35	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,060	$54,850 – $135,660	8,350
36	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$89,420	$58,810 – $156,830	520
37	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$83,420	$53,360 – $134,660	550
38	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$83,040	$66,970 – $103,540	29,650
39	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$81,250	$62,190 – $192,880	1,320
40	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$80,690	$53,020 – $135,660	580
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,040	$54,680 – $130,320	11,260
42	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$79,140	$63,100 – $97,140	1,190
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,340	$55,850 – $99,180	1,860
44	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$76,340	$51,110 – $120,260	390
45	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,330	$45,350 – $105,200	430
46	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,190	$47,810 – $119,070	6,950
47	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$74,810	$43,710 – $122,310	670
48	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,250	$50,680 – $99,250	910
49	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$73,330	$52,670 – $127,510	390
50	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,580	$43,130 – $131,080	6,920

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Kansas City, MO-KS. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Kansas City, MO-KS to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Kansas City, MO-KS

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