High paying production jobs in Kansas with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Kansas that require neither a degree nor prior experience in a related job. This is the narrowest cut on the site, so it is also the shortest list: where a field has only two or three such occupations, there is no page at all rather than a page pretending otherwise.

Cost of living: prices in Kansas run 9.9% below the national average (2024), so a Kansas 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. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Kansas.

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

Find production jobs in Kansas

OccupationMedian, Kansas · Employed

1Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$101,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,250 – $109,260950
2Tool and Die Makers$83,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,350 – $92,670660
3Power Plant Operators$79,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,580 – $129,990520
4Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$79,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,560 – $96,310610
5Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$76,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,920 – $125,740680
6Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$59,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,630 – $77,4409,710
7Dental Laboratory Technicians$56,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,800 – $84,700570
8Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$54,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,800 – $76,2601,920
9Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$53,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,800 – $80,9109,300
10Machinists$51,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,240 – $74,9203,870
11Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,700 – $70,6601,380
12Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$49,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,790 – $66,6806,370
13Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $68,450470
14Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$48,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,660 – $70,2402,540
15Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,240
No formal educational credential
$39,180 – $57,6602,170
16Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$48,080
No formal educational credential
$39,660 – $59,2505,000
17Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$47,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $60,830620
18Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$47,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,170 – $61,780680
19Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $76,6603,160
20Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $63,1501,900
21Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$46,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $66,8001,560
22Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,870 – $61,7501,140
23Food Processing Workers, All Other$46,060
No formal educational credential
$37,480 – $48,830560
24Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$45,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $50,030750
25Prepress Technicians and Workers$45,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,490 – $64,630520
26Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,720 – $71,45013,830
27Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$44,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,150 – $57,7407,920
28Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $54,580760
29Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,870 – $51,140600
30Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,560 – $57,580470
31Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$43,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,700 – $57,4503,110
32Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,890 – $50,5801,240
33Food Batchmakers$42,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,000 – $62,3503,230
34Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$42,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $49,9801,010
35Printing Press Operators$41,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,980 – $58,4102,640
36Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$41,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,970 – $53,0401,340
37Print Binding and Finishing Workers$37,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,040 – $51,370660
38Helpers--Production Workers$37,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,640 – $51,0001,430
39Butchers and Meat Cutters$37,320
No formal educational credential
$28,330 – $52,8001,200
40Production Workers, All Other$37,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,050 – $48,060610
41Sewing Machine Operators$35,360
No formal educational credential
$28,380 – $46,070650
42Bakers$34,300
No formal educational credential
$27,410 – $45,7401,370
43Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$30,120
No formal educational credential
$25,800 – $36,6402,160

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

#	Occupation	MedianKansas	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,880	$79,250 – $109,260	950
2	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,890	$51,350 – $92,670	660
3	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,980	$46,580 – $129,990	520
4	Layout Workers, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,240	$44,560 – $96,310	610
5	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,080	$53,920 – $125,740	680
6	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,850	$52,630 – $77,440	9,710
7	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,790	$42,800 – $84,700	570
8	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,890	$35,800 – $76,260	1,920
9	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,680	$37,800 – $80,910	9,300
10	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,220	$38,240 – $74,920	3,870
11	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,750	$36,700 – $70,660	1,380
12	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,410	$37,790 – $66,680	6,370
13	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,570	$33,330 – $68,450	470
14	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,400	$39,660 – $70,240	2,540
15	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$48,240	$39,180 – $57,660	2,170
16	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$48,080	$39,660 – $59,250	5,000
17	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,840	$38,280 – $60,830	620
18	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,360	$39,170 – $61,780	680
19	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,120	$36,370 – $76,660	3,160
20	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,840	$36,360 – $63,150	1,900
21	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,780	$35,870 – $66,800	1,560
22	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,270	$34,870 – $61,750	1,140
23	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$46,060	$37,480 – $48,830	560
24	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,850	$33,330 – $50,030	750
25	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,290	$34,490 – $64,630	520
26	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,220	$32,720 – $71,450	13,830
27	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,890	$31,150 – $57,740	7,920
28	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,760	$36,510 – $54,580	760
29	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,290	$34,870 – $51,140	600
30	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,580	$30,560 – $57,580	470
31	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,520	$32,700 – $57,450	3,110
32	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,050	$32,890 – $50,580	1,240
33	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,850	$32,000 – $62,350	3,230
34	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,710	$35,520 – $49,980	1,010
35	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,890	$27,980 – $58,410	2,640
36	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,350	$36,970 – $53,040	1,340
37	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,470	$25,040 – $51,370	660
38	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,320	$30,640 – $51,000	1,430
39	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$37,320	$28,330 – $52,800	1,200
40	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,070	$30,050 – $48,060	610
41	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,360	$28,380 – $46,070	650
42	BakersNo formal educational credential	$34,300	$27,410 – $45,740	1,370
43	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$30,120	$25,800 – $36,640	2,160

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

Metro areas in Kansas

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Kansas

Without a degree

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

High paying production jobs in Kansas with no experience

More for Kansas

Metro areas in Kansas

By field in Kansas

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state with no experience