Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kansas City, MO-KS

Each occupation's median wage in Kansas City, MO-KS compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Kansas City, MO-KS pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Machine Feeders and Offbearers$77,100
No formal educational credential
$39,420 – $77,100+87.0%
2Special Education Teachers, Preschool$119,560
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $119,570+84.4%
3Teachers and Instructors, All Other$99,070
Bachelor's degree
$35,630 – $124,200+49.8%
4Tax Preparers$78,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,380 – $141,520+43.7%
5Millwrights$91,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,630 – $97,340+39.1%
6Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$100,150
Associate's degree
$54,960 – $127,480+34.4%
7Sheet Metal Workers$82,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,150 – $114,630+34.0%
8Tool and Die Makers$85,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,750 – $93,840+33.9%
9Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$63,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,430 – $78,410+29.7%
10Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$130,850
Bachelor's degree
$60,310 – $205,470+24.7%
11Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$66,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $100,550+24.1%
12Structural Iron and Steel Workers$77,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,450 – $86,500+23.6%
13Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$54,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,810 – $78,900+23.2%
14Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$95,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,280 – $195,050+23.2%
15Packers and Packagers, Hand$44,460
No formal educational credential
$32,830 – $45,380+22.5%
16Electricians$76,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,280 – $110,170+21.6%
17Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$45,820
No formal educational credential
$30,870 – $48,480+19.6%
18Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $122,820+19.4%
19Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,690 – $70,220+18.9%
20Personal Financial Advisors$123,140
Bachelor's degree
$60,890 – $320,820+17.2%
21Brickmasons and Blockmasons$72,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,020 – $88,070+16.5%
22Dental Laboratory Technicians$56,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,340 – $79,480+14.5%
23Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,890 – $78,860+14.1%
24Parts Salespersons$43,090
No formal educational credential
$29,250 – $63,390+11.5%
25Automotive Body and Related Repairers$60,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,840 – $82,910+10.3%
26Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$43,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,170 – $53,600+10.1%
27Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,360 – $64,570+10.0%
28Security Guards$41,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,540 – $68,860+10.0%
29Purchasing Managers$161,910
Bachelor's degree
$102,730 – $221,670+9.3%
30Air Traffic Controllers$161,700
Associate's degree
$85,800 – $199,160+9.2%
31Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,250
No formal educational credential
$45,680 – $87,230+9.2%
32Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$50,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,960 – $66,560+9.1%
33Food Service Managers$75,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,710 – $100,970+8.6%
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$90,060
Bachelor's degree
$54,850 – $135,660+8.4%
35Helpers--Production Workers$42,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,350 – $58,030+8.0%
36Loan Officers$82,330
Bachelor's degree
$46,350 – $150,700+7.4%
37Construction Laborers$50,500
No formal educational credential
$36,270 – $80,170+7.2%
38Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,900 – $73,090+7.2%
39Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,250 – $96,840+7.0%
40Mechanical Drafters$76,340
Associate's degree
$51,110 – $120,260+6.7%
41Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$101,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,280 – $122,910+6.7%
42Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $78,150+6.7%
43Industrial Machinery Mechanics$68,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,650 – $93,600+6.6%
44Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$53,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,030 – $80,850+6.3%
45Education Administrators, Postsecondary$110,740
Master's degree
$65,440 – $230,010+5.9%
46Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$41,450
No formal educational credential
$34,050 – $50,460+5.9%
47Construction Managers$121,790
Bachelor's degree
$80,090 – $173,800+5.9%
48Roofers$58,420
No formal educational credential
$40,250 – $82,900+5.4%
49First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$84,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,670 – $122,280+5.2%
50Insurance Sales Agents$65,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,120 – $163,580+5.0%

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	vs. national
1	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$77,100	$39,420 – $77,100	+87.0%
2	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$119,560	$47,200 – $119,570	+84.4%
3	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,070	$35,630 – $124,200	+49.8%
4	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,920	$35,380 – $141,520	+43.7%
5	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,380	$52,630 – $97,340	+39.1%
6	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$100,150	$54,960 – $127,480	+34.4%
7	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,830	$45,150 – $114,630	+34.0%
8	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,740	$47,750 – $93,840	+33.9%
9	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,000	$39,430 – $78,410	+29.7%
10	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$130,850	$60,310 – $205,470	+24.7%
11	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,210	$48,680 – $100,550	+24.1%
12	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,570	$48,450 – $86,500	+23.6%
13	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,990	$36,810 – $78,900	+23.2%
14	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$95,630	$45,280 – $195,050	+23.2%
15	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,460	$32,830 – $45,380	+22.5%
16	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,860	$46,280 – $110,170	+21.6%
17	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$45,820	$30,870 – $48,480	+19.6%
18	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,150	$46,800 – $122,820	+19.4%
19	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,260	$39,690 – $70,220	+18.9%
20	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$123,140	$60,890 – $320,820	+17.2%
21	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,370	$48,020 – $88,070	+16.5%
22	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,790	$43,340 – $79,480	+14.5%
23	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,840	$38,890 – $78,860	+14.1%
24	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,090	$29,250 – $63,390	+11.5%
25	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,540	$39,840 – $82,910	+10.3%
26	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,370	$35,170 – $53,600	+10.1%
27	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,530	$30,360 – $64,570	+10.0%
28	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,810	$31,540 – $68,860	+10.0%
29	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$161,910	$102,730 – $221,670	+9.3%
30	Air Traffic ControllersAssociate's degree	$161,700	$85,800 – $199,160	+9.2%
31	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,250	$45,680 – $87,230	+9.2%
32	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,370	$41,960 – $66,560	+9.1%
33	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,350	$47,710 – $100,970	+8.6%
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,060	$54,850 – $135,660	+8.4%
35	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,210	$35,350 – $58,030	+8.0%
36	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$82,330	$46,350 – $150,700	+7.4%
37	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$50,500	$36,270 – $80,170	+7.2%
38	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,090	$38,900 – $73,090	+7.2%
39	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,060	$47,250 – $96,840	+7.0%
40	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$76,340	$51,110 – $120,260	+6.7%
41	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,740	$58,280 – $122,910	+6.7%
42	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,370	$42,850 – $78,150	+6.7%
43	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,770	$47,650 – $93,600	+6.6%
44	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,790	$36,030 – $80,850	+6.3%
45	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$110,740	$65,440 – $230,010	+5.9%
46	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$41,450	$34,050 – $50,460	+5.9%
47	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,790	$80,090 – $173,800	+5.9%
48	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$58,420	$40,250 – $82,900	+5.4%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,100	$58,670 – $122,280	+5.2%
50	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,410	$33,120 – $163,580	+5.0%

More for Kansas City, MO-KS

Other metro areas in MO

By field in Kansas City, MO-KS

Without a degree

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kansas City, MO-KS

More for Kansas City, MO-KS

Other metro areas in MO

By field in Kansas City, MO-KS

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state