Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lawrence, KS

Each occupation's median wage in Lawrence, 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 Lawrence, KS pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Lawrence, KS run 9.8% below the national average (2024), so a Lawrence, 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 Lawrence, KS

OccupationMedian, Lawrence, KS · vs. national

1Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$170,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,130 – $293,920+76.0%
2Business Teachers, Postsecondary$169,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,800 – $328,610+70.7%
3Physicians, All Other$432,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,420 – $465,330+62.8%
4Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$109,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,340 – $179,390+39.2%
5First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$128,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$85,560 – $157,320+37.7%
6Education Administrators, Postsecondary$140,710
Master's degree
$86,590 – $358,190+34.5%
7Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$105,820
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,290 – $173,580+31.8%
8Loan Officers$100,480
Bachelor's degree
$58,150 – $181,910+31.0%
9Sales Managers$189,740
Bachelor's degree
$98,080 – $289,260+28.0%
10Packers and Packagers, Hand$44,370
No formal educational credential
$27,840 – $44,370+22.3%
11Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$109,740
Bachelor's degree
$66,520 – $132,980+21.7%
12Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,520
Bachelor's degree
$47,250 – $94,780+21.6%
13Postal Service Mail Carriers$70,530
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $89,190+16.5%
14Loan Interviewers and Clerks$57,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,560 – $73,220+15.7%
15Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$110,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,490 – $119,530+15.6%
16Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$90,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,380 – $137,510+15.6%
17Family Medicine Physicians$275,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$229,390 – $275,960+13.0%
18Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$78,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,750 – $143,140+12.0%
19Residential Advisors$46,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,660 – $65,130+11.2%
20Helpers--Production Workers$43,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,350 – $46,120+11.1%
21Coaches and Scouts$52,460
Bachelor's degree
$30,310 – $129,280+10.9%
22Library Technicians$49,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,260 – $65,010+10.8%
23Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials$44,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,370 – $44,930+10.4%
24Library Assistants, Clerical$40,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,150 – $42,020+9.1%
25Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$64,370
Master's degree
$39,760 – $78,910+8.5%
26Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,570 – $60,390+8.4%
27Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,190
No formal educational credential
$33,490 – $49,580+7.3%
28First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,480 – $96,930+7.2%
29Highway Maintenance Workers$53,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,100 – $75,190+7.2%
30English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$83,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,500 – $174,250+6.0%
31Construction Managers$121,660
Bachelor's degree
$76,610 – $157,280+5.8%
32Waiters and Waitresses$37,230
No formal educational credential
$19,980 – $65,290+5.7%
33Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$60,230
No formal educational credential
$42,920 – $83,640+5.6%
34Chemists$96,050
Bachelor's degree
$75,130 – $131,760+5.3%
35Maintenance Workers, Machinery$63,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,840 – $74,930+5.1%
36Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$75,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $128,200+4.8%
37Counter and Rental Clerks$43,280
No formal educational credential
$28,340 – $79,950+4.8%
38First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$61,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,630 – $85,980+4.5%
39Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$47,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,780 – $63,660+4.5%
40Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,740 – $48,130+3.9%
41Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$50,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $64,420+3.8%
42First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$50,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,140 – $85,370+3.6%
43Medical and Health Services Managers$127,760
Bachelor's degree
$66,410 – $224,990+3.1%
44First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$50,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,230 – $75,710+3.1%
45Financial Managers$171,290
Bachelor's degree
$101,760 – $287,620+2.8%
46Child, Family, and School Social Workers$60,980
Bachelor's degree
$48,770 – $89,210+2.4%
47Industrial Machinery Mechanics$66,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,000 – $93,860+2.3%
48Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$109,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,430 – $173,680+2.2%
49Construction and Building Inspectors$76,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,380 – $94,830+1.9%
50Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$51,690
Bachelor's degree
$51,690 – $65,810+1.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLawrence, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$170,660	$88,130 – $293,920	+76.0%
2	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$169,130	$90,800 – $328,610	+70.7%
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$432,860	$122,420 – $465,330	+62.8%
4	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,350	$61,340 – $179,390	+39.2%
5	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$128,760	$85,560 – $157,320	+37.7%
6	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$140,710	$86,590 – $358,190	+34.5%
7	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,820	$58,290 – $173,580	+31.8%
8	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$100,480	$58,150 – $181,910	+31.0%
9	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$189,740	$98,080 – $289,260	+28.0%
10	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,370	$27,840 – $44,370	+22.3%
11	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$109,740	$66,520 – $132,980	+21.7%
12	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,520	$47,250 – $94,780	+21.6%
13	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$70,530	$42,390 – $89,190	+16.5%
14	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,890	$45,560 – $73,220	+15.7%
15	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,180	$64,490 – $119,530	+15.6%
16	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,170	$49,380 – $137,510	+15.6%
17	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$275,960	$229,390 – $275,960	+13.0%
18	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,410	$37,750 – $143,140	+12.0%
19	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,950	$23,660 – $65,130	+11.2%
20	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,420	$34,350 – $46,120	+11.1%
21	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$52,460	$30,310 – $129,280	+10.9%
22	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,400	$43,260 – $65,010	+10.8%
23	Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports OfficialsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,930	$30,370 – $44,930	+10.4%
24	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,270	$33,150 – $42,020	+9.1%
25	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$64,370	$39,760 – $78,910	+8.5%
26	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,840	$30,570 – $60,390	+8.4%
27	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,190	$33,490 – $49,580	+7.3%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,800	$48,480 – $96,930	+7.2%
29	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,880	$45,100 – $75,190	+7.2%
30	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,490	$59,500 – $174,250	+6.0%
31	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,660	$76,610 – $157,280	+5.8%
32	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,230	$19,980 – $65,290	+5.7%
33	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$60,230	$42,920 – $83,640	+5.6%
34	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,050	$75,130 – $131,760	+5.3%
35	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,980	$52,840 – $74,930	+5.1%
36	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,560	$44,990 – $128,200	+4.8%
37	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$43,280	$28,340 – $79,950	+4.8%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,080	$44,630 – $85,980	+4.5%
39	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,620	$35,780 – $63,660	+4.5%
40	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,130	$38,740 – $48,130	+3.9%
41	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,430	$38,990 – $64,420	+3.8%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,310	$37,140 – $85,370	+3.6%
43	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,760	$66,410 – $224,990	+3.1%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,610	$38,230 – $75,710	+3.1%
45	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,290	$101,760 – $287,620	+2.8%
46	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$60,980	$48,770 – $89,210	+2.4%
47	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,010	$55,000 – $93,860	+2.3%
48	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$109,630	$82,430 – $173,680	+2.2%
49	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,080	$58,380 – $94,830	+1.9%
50	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$51,690	$51,690 – $65,810	+1.6%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lawrence, KS

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