High paying entry level jobs in Wichita, KS

These occupations in Wichita, 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 Wichita, KS run 11.1% below the national average (2024), so a Wichita, KS salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Wichita, KS

OccupationMedian, Wichita, KS · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$205,540
Master's degree
$172,550 – $212,090220
2Pharmacists$142,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,230 – $165,940580
3Aerospace Engineers$130,720
Bachelor's degree
$81,100 – $167,4001,430
4Optometrists$123,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,630 – $193,340120
5Physician Assistants$121,640
Master's degree
$95,900 – $161,750240
6Lawyers$121,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,380 – $209,200690
7Nurse Practitioners$116,100
Master's degree
$95,600 – $145,620690
8Software Developers$105,980
Bachelor's degree
$62,860 – $152,5002,040
9Commercial and Industrial Designers$105,180
Bachelor's degree
$83,310 – $214,580170
10Veterinarians$104,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,880 – $205,400170
11Operations Research Analysts$102,880
Bachelor's degree
$78,800 – $129,800140
12Industrial Engineers$101,510
Bachelor's degree
$75,940 – $137,1601,110
13Materials Engineers$100,000
Bachelor's degree
$83,460 – $157,370190
14Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$99,310
Bachelor's degree
$80,970 – $163,860210
15Occupational Therapists$99,000
Master's degree
$74,070 – $120,690320
16Electrical Engineers$98,480
Bachelor's degree
$65,230 – $146,580400
17Physical Therapists$97,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,960 – $118,780580
18Computer Occupations, All Other$96,890
Bachelor's degree
$30,920 – $129,770220
19Computer Systems Analysts$94,790
Bachelor's degree
$62,000 – $175,700620
20Mechanical Engineers$94,610
Bachelor's degree
$65,840 – $139,660800
21Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$90,130
Bachelor's degree
$61,890 – $136,600130
22Project Management Specialists$89,170
Bachelor's degree
$53,420 – $139,9901,140
23Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$85,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,260 – $176,410630
24Teachers and Instructors, All Other$85,300
Bachelor's degree
$53,580 – $103,630190
25Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$84,640
Bachelor's degree
$59,400 – $129,990260
26Business Operations Specialists, All Other$84,460
Bachelor's degree
$51,240 – $135,5002,160
27Civil Engineers$84,310
Bachelor's degree
$48,740 – $132,740540
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,820
Bachelor's degree
$54,840 – $121,100720
29Mechanical Drafters$82,590
Associate's degree
$46,190 – $117,030190
30Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$81,210
Associate's degree
$66,270 – $103,280170
31Accountants and Auditors$79,270
Bachelor's degree
$52,810 – $133,4603,120
32Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$78,350
Associate's degree
$55,560 – $100,170510
33Registered Nurses$76,540
Bachelor's degree
$60,300 – $99,5307,460
34Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,040
Associate's degree
$47,590 – $97,550140
35Engineers, All Other$73,470
Bachelor's degree
$50,150 – $115,920200
36Respiratory Therapists$71,330
Associate's degree
$62,240 – $80,580320
37Financial and Investment Analysts$71,040
Bachelor's degree
$48,220 – $122,100290
38Logisticians$69,520
Bachelor's degree
$44,580 – $108,910320
39Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$68,640
Associate's degree
$42,550 – $105,120300
40Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$67,980
Bachelor's degree
$38,570 – $106,640810
41Credit Analysts$67,370
Bachelor's degree
$52,990 – $127,090110
42Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$65,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,480 – $94,880580
43Human Resources Specialists$65,390
Bachelor's degree
$45,420 – $114,3001,380
44Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$64,990
Master's degree
$38,010 – $79,780290
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,830
Associate's degree
$50,700 – $91,310500
46Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,250
Associate's degree
$53,490 – $76,780180
47Interior Designers$64,220
Bachelor's degree
$43,880 – $95,090100
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$63,890
Bachelor's degree
$35,750 – $120,0901,470
49Public Relations Specialists$63,430
Bachelor's degree
$39,690 – $109,290370
50Physical Therapist Assistants$62,900
Associate's degree
$52,150 – $77,170230

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

#	Occupation	MedianWichita, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$205,540	$172,550 – $212,090	220
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,400	$107,230 – $165,940	580
3	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$130,720	$81,100 – $167,400	1,430
4	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$123,940	$82,630 – $193,340	120
5	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$121,640	$95,900 – $161,750	240
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$121,510	$76,380 – $209,200	690
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$116,100	$95,600 – $145,620	690
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$105,980	$62,860 – $152,500	2,040
9	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$105,180	$83,310 – $214,580	170
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$104,930	$78,880 – $205,400	170
11	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,880	$78,800 – $129,800	140
12	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,510	$75,940 – $137,160	1,110
13	Materials EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,000	$83,460 – $157,370	190
14	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$99,310	$80,970 – $163,860	210
15	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,000	$74,070 – $120,690	320
16	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,480	$65,230 – $146,580	400
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,400	$71,960 – $118,780	580
18	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,890	$30,920 – $129,770	220
19	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$94,790	$62,000 – $175,700	620
20	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,610	$65,840 – $139,660	800
21	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$90,130	$61,890 – $136,600	130
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,170	$53,420 – $139,990	1,140
23	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$85,690	$42,260 – $176,410	630
24	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,300	$53,580 – $103,630	190
25	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,640	$59,400 – $129,990	260
26	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,460	$51,240 – $135,500	2,160
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$84,310	$48,740 – $132,740	540
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,820	$54,840 – $121,100	720
29	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$82,590	$46,190 – $117,030	190
30	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$81,210	$66,270 – $103,280	170
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,270	$52,810 – $133,460	3,120
32	Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,350	$55,560 – $100,170	510
33	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$76,540	$60,300 – $99,530	7,460
34	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,040	$47,590 – $97,550	140
35	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,470	$50,150 – $115,920	200
36	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$71,330	$62,240 – $80,580	320
37	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$71,040	$48,220 – $122,100	290
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$69,520	$44,580 – $108,910	320
39	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$68,640	$42,550 – $105,120	300
40	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$67,980	$38,570 – $106,640	810
41	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$67,370	$52,990 – $127,090	110
42	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,640	$47,480 – $94,880	580
43	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,390	$45,420 – $114,300	1,380
44	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$64,990	$38,010 – $79,780	290
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,830	$50,700 – $91,310	500
46	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,250	$53,490 – $76,780	180
47	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$64,220	$43,880 – $95,090	100
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,890	$35,750 – $120,090	1,470
49	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,430	$39,690 – $109,290	370
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,900	$52,150 – $77,170	230

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Wichita, 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.

More for Wichita, KS

Other metro areas in KS

By field in Wichita, KS

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Wichita, KS

More for Wichita, KS

Other metro areas in KS

By field in Wichita, KS

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state