High paying entry level jobs in Manhattan, KS

These occupations in Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, KS run 9.8% below the national average (2024), so a Manhattan, KS salary is worth about 1.11× 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 Manhattan, KS

OccupationMedian, Manhattan, KS · Employed

1Pharmacists$139,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,780 – $168,65080
2Lawyers$124,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,890 – $180,390120
3Nurse Practitioners$115,350
Master's degree
$72,730 – $153,00090
4Software Developers$101,960
Bachelor's degree
$68,800 – $155,170350
5Computer Occupations, All Other$97,470
Bachelor's degree
$77,000 – $133,470150
6Physical Therapists$97,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,710 – $109,30090
7Civil Engineers$96,030
Bachelor's degree
$49,920 – $128,960180
8Project Management Specialists$95,390
Bachelor's degree
$55,200 – $153,750160
9Industrial Engineers$95,230
Bachelor's degree
$66,330 – $135,21070
10Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$65,090 – $138,99070
11Occupational Therapists$88,610
Master's degree
$63,370 – $112,43070
12Biological Scientists, All Other$88,610
Bachelor's degree
$40,330 – $128,67050
13Computer Systems Analysts$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$61,480 – $173,05080
14Mechanical Engineers$83,200
Bachelor's degree
$63,140 – $139,34090
15Microbiologists$81,330
Bachelor's degree
$65,170 – $145,27040
16Veterinarians$81,310
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,300 – $126,83070
17Network and Computer Systems Administrators$80,170
Bachelor's degree
$58,030 – $112,360130
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,750
Associate's degree
$58,710 – $92,80060
19Registered Nurses$78,960
Bachelor's degree
$61,260 – $98,740810
20Architectural and Civil Drafters$77,810
Associate's degree
$49,220 – $89,55040
21Human Resources Specialists$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,940 – $115,720500
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$75,360
Bachelor's degree
$61,110 – $106,33040
23Business Operations Specialists, All Other$75,120
Bachelor's degree
$50,820 – $112,260690
24Budget Analysts$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$50,870 – $139,52070
25Engineers, All Other$73,580
Bachelor's degree
$40,270 – $149,43050
26Logisticians$66,710
Bachelor's degree
$48,990 – $115,210170
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,440
Associate's degree
$49,090 – $103,38040
28Soil and Plant Scientists$66,100
Bachelor's degree
$55,650 – $82,77060
29Accountants and Auditors$65,900
Bachelor's degree
$49,030 – $110,290470
30Fundraisers$65,870
Bachelor's degree
$48,510 – $131,850110
31Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$64,260
Bachelor's degree
$39,690 – $84,220140
32Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,440
Associate's degree
$41,270 – $78,52080
33Financial Specialists, All Other$63,130
Bachelor's degree
$43,150 – $109,30050
34Occupational Therapy Assistants$62,380
Associate's degree
$47,020 – $70,47030
35Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,280 – $77,690230
36Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,100
Bachelor's degree
$28,080 – $109,150220
37Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$60,370
Master's degree
$34,760 – $75,71070
38Physical Therapist Assistants$60,210
Associate's degree
$52,540 – $80,87050
39Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$60,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$36,280 – $119,91060
40Public Relations Specialists$59,170
Bachelor's degree
$40,310 – $94,520150
41Financial and Investment Analysts$59,080
Bachelor's degree
$54,340 – $119,94050
42Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$58,860
Bachelor's degree
$48,630 – $74,010100
43Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$58,320
Bachelor's degree
$48,800 – $72,59050
44Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,620
Bachelor's degree
$47,690 – $75,810330
45Special Education Teachers, Middle School$56,890
Bachelor's degree
$48,670 – $73,91040
46Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$54,980
Bachelor's degree
$47,400 – $60,930240
47Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$53,390
Bachelor's degree
$36,100 – $77,97050
48Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$53,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,950 – $64,94060
49Child, Family, and School Social Workers$53,130
Bachelor's degree
$42,290 – $66,650240
50Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$51,820
Associate's degree
$39,120 – $59,95090

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

#	Occupation	MedianManhattan, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,080	$109,780 – $168,650	80
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,230	$68,890 – $180,390	120
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$115,350	$72,730 – $153,000	90
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$101,960	$68,800 – $155,170	350
5	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,470	$77,000 – $133,470	150
6	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,110	$67,710 – $109,300	90
7	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,030	$49,920 – $128,960	180
8	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,390	$55,200 – $153,750	160
9	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,230	$66,330 – $135,210	70
10	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,560	$65,090 – $138,990	70
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$88,610	$63,370 – $112,430	70
12	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,610	$40,330 – $128,670	50
13	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,820	$61,480 – $173,050	80
14	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$83,200	$63,140 – $139,340	90
15	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$81,330	$65,170 – $145,270	40
16	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$81,310	$42,300 – $126,830	70
17	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$80,170	$58,030 – $112,360	130
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,750	$58,710 – $92,800	60
19	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,960	$61,260 – $98,740	810
20	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$77,810	$49,220 – $89,550	40
21	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$49,940 – $115,720	500
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$75,360	$61,110 – $106,330	40
23	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$75,120	$50,820 – $112,260	690
24	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$73,920	$50,870 – $139,520	70
25	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,580	$40,270 – $149,430	50
26	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$66,710	$48,990 – $115,210	170
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,440	$49,090 – $103,380	40
28	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$66,100	$55,650 – $82,770	60
29	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$65,900	$49,030 – $110,290	470
30	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$65,870	$48,510 – $131,850	110
31	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$64,260	$39,690 – $84,220	140
32	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,440	$41,270 – $78,520	80
33	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,130	$43,150 – $109,300	50
34	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,380	$47,020 – $70,470	30
35	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,430	$49,280 – $77,690	230
36	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,100	$28,080 – $109,150	220
37	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$60,370	$34,760 – $75,710	70
38	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$60,210	$52,540 – $80,870	50
39	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$60,050	$36,280 – $119,910	60
40	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,170	$40,310 – $94,520	150
41	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$59,080	$54,340 – $119,940	50
42	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,860	$48,630 – $74,010	100
43	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$58,320	$48,800 – $72,590	50
44	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$57,620	$47,690 – $75,810	330
45	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$56,890	$48,670 – $73,910	40
46	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$54,980	$47,400 – $60,930	240
47	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$53,390	$36,100 – $77,970	50
48	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,290	$44,950 – $64,940	60
49	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$53,130	$42,290 – $66,650	240
50	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$51,820	$39,120 – $59,950	90

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, KS to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Manhattan, KS

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