High paying jobs in Kansas City, MO-KS that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Kansas City, MO-KS, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Air Traffic Controllers$161,700
Associate's degree
$85,800 – $199,160430
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$101,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,280 – $122,910980
3Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,450
Associate's degree
$77,070 – $123,300660
4Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$100,150
Associate's degree
$54,960 – $127,480600
5Dental Hygienists$92,750
Associate's degree
$75,550 – $97,2601,800
6Millwrights$91,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,630 – $97,340640
7Tool and Die Makers$85,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,750 – $93,840450
8Sheet Metal Workers$82,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,150 – $114,6301,080
9Respiratory Therapists$79,140
Associate's degree
$63,100 – $97,1401,190
10Tax Preparers$78,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $141,520560
11Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,340
Associate's degree
$55,850 – $99,1801,860
12Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,750 – $121,3703,690
13Structural Iron and Steel Workers$77,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,450 – $86,500380
14Machine Feeders and Offbearers$77,100
No formal educational credential
$39,420 – $77,100540
15Computer Network Support Specialists$77,040
Associate's degree
$48,290 – $129,510850
16Electricians$76,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,280 – $110,1705,400
17Mechanical Drafters$76,340
Associate's degree
$51,110 – $120,260390
18Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$76,330
Associate's degree
$45,350 – $105,200430
19Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $122,8203,740
20Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,250
Associate's degree
$50,680 – $99,250910
21Brickmasons and Blockmasons$72,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,020 – $88,070500
22Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$71,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,620 – $91,770530
23Occupational Therapy Assistants$71,050
Associate's degree
$55,590 – $81,530400
24Industrial Machinery Mechanics$68,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,650 – $93,6002,520
25Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$66,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,890 – $135,6209,930
26Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$66,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $100,550500
27Physical Therapist Assistants$65,580
Associate's degree
$51,610 – $80,990880
28Insurance Sales Agents$65,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,120 – $163,5805,310
29Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$64,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $160,3809,250
30Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,700
Associate's degree
$49,870 – $104,300580
31Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,440 – $78,4704,570
32Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,250 – $96,8404,110
33Paralegals and Legal Assistants$63,880
Associate's degree
$47,230 – $97,8902,900
34Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $87,6801,400
35Maintenance Workers, Machinery$63,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,330 – $83,230510
36Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,520
Associate's degree
$45,620 – $94,4001,010
37Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,460
Associate's degree
$47,740 – $94,650730
38Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$63,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,430 – $78,4105,210
39Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$62,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,120 – $95,9204,820
40Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,620 – $88,7603,010
41Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,170 – $86,6502,890
42Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,250
No formal educational credential
$45,680 – $87,2302,950
43Surgical Technologists$62,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,560 – $80,580980
44Carpenters$61,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,950 – $96,4104,540
45Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$61,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,450 – $78,040660
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,0402,400
47Firefighters$60,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,740 – $84,2203,000
48Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$60,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,970 – $81,440880
49Automotive Body and Related Repairers$60,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,840 – $82,9101,550
50Postal Service Clerks$60,530
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030540

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	Air Traffic ControllersAssociate's degree	$161,700	$85,800 – $199,160	430
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,740	$58,280 – $122,910	980
3	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,450	$77,070 – $123,300	660
4	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$100,150	$54,960 – $127,480	600
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,750	$75,550 – $97,260	1,800
6	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,380	$52,630 – $97,340	640
7	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,740	$47,750 – $93,840	450
8	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,830	$45,150 – $114,630	1,080
9	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$79,140	$63,100 – $97,140	1,190
10	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,920	$35,380 – $141,520	560
11	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,340	$55,850 – $99,180	1,860
12	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,090	$51,750 – $121,370	3,690
13	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,570	$48,450 – $86,500	380
14	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$77,100	$39,420 – $77,100	540
15	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$77,040	$48,290 – $129,510	850
16	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,860	$46,280 – $110,170	5,400
17	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$76,340	$51,110 – $120,260	390
18	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,330	$45,350 – $105,200	430
19	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,150	$46,800 – $122,820	3,740
20	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,250	$50,680 – $99,250	910
21	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,370	$48,020 – $88,070	500
22	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,080	$45,620 – $91,770	530
23	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,050	$55,590 – $81,530	400
24	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,770	$47,650 – $93,600	2,520
25	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,250	$38,890 – $135,620	9,930
26	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,210	$48,680 – $100,550	500
27	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,580	$51,610 – $80,990	880
28	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,410	$33,120 – $163,580	5,310
29	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,950	$37,020 – $160,380	9,250
30	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,700	$49,870 – $104,300	580
31	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,420	$52,440 – $78,470	4,570
32	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,060	$47,250 – $96,840	4,110
33	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,880	$47,230 – $97,890	2,900
34	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,850	$45,930 – $87,680	1,400
35	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,700	$45,330 – $83,230	510
36	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,520	$45,620 – $94,400	1,010
37	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,460	$47,740 – $94,650	730
38	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,000	$39,430 – $78,410	5,210
39	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,960	$47,120 – $95,920	4,820
40	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,680	$45,620 – $88,760	3,010
41	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,570	$46,170 – $86,650	2,890
42	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,250	$45,680 – $87,230	2,950
43	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,250	$47,560 – $80,580	980
44	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,810	$44,950 – $96,410	4,540
45	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,480	$46,450 – $78,040	660
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,010	$42,390 – $81,040	2,400
47	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,770	$38,740 – $84,220	3,000
48	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,580	$42,970 – $81,440	880
49	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,540	$39,840 – $82,910	1,550
50	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$60,530	$42,600 – $75,030	540

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 jobs in Kansas City, MO-KS that need no experience

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