Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Manhattan, KS

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

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

OccupationMedian, Manhattan, KS · vs. national

1Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$66,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,740 – $77,360+35.3%
2Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$49,160
Associate's degree
$34,060 – $59,940+28.9%
3Sheet Metal Workers$76,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,680 – $98,310+24.2%
4Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$123,990
Bachelor's degree
$72,310 – $184,480+18.2%
5Architectural and Civil Drafters$77,810
Associate's degree
$49,220 – $89,550+17.6%
6Loan Officers$87,730
Bachelor's degree
$58,670 – $160,000+14.4%
7Procurement Clerks$56,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,440 – $61,610+11.9%
8Physicians, All Other$294,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,120 – $421,190+10.9%
9Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$53,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,950 – $64,940+10.0%
10Sales Managers$162,920
Bachelor's degree
$90,070 – $225,180+9.9%
11Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$51,610
Associate's degree
$40,570 – $67,300+8.9%
12Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$103,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,600 – $120,380+8.6%
13Education Administrators, Postsecondary$113,160
Master's degree
$68,190 – $237,530+8.2%
14Automotive Body and Related Repairers$59,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,120 – $109,700+8.0%
15Security Guards$39,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$16,250 – $58,290+4.5%
16Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$56,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,690 – $65,170+4.4%
17Agricultural Technicians$51,270
Associate's degree
$32,890 – $66,610+3.3%
18Information and Record Clerks, All Other$51,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,700 – $59,950+3.2%
19Postal Service Clerks$63,920
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $71,400+2.9%
20First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$49,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,700 – $81,010+2.5%
21Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$51,820
Associate's degree
$39,120 – $59,950+2.4%
22Food Service Managers$70,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $99,000+2.1%
23Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$64,260
Bachelor's degree
$39,690 – $84,220+2.1%
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$65,090 – $138,990+1.6%
25Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$51,620
Bachelor's degree
$51,620 – $76,400+1.4%
26Administrative Services Managers$115,610
Bachelor's degree
$66,660 – $183,590+1.3%
27Construction Laborers$47,730
No formal educational credential
$35,750 – $59,220+1.3%
28Facilities Managers$107,860
Bachelor's degree
$72,460 – $173,060+1.1%
29Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$37,020
No formal educational credential
$29,620 – $48,810+1.0%
30Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,550 – $78,520+1.0%
31Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,250 – $59,440+1.0%
32Human Resources Specialists$76,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,940 – $115,720+0.6%
33Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,030
No formal educational credential
$46,450 – $79,1400.0%
34Cost Estimators$78,560
Bachelor's degree
$47,020 – $131,240-0.2%
35Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,750
Associate's degree
$58,710 – $92,800-0.4%
36Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,780 – $59,100-0.6%
37Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,400
No formal educational credential
$24,550 – $51,820-0.7%
38Counter and Rental Clerks$41,030
No formal educational credential
$26,600 – $76,080-0.7%
39Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$49,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,750 – $86,440-1.1%
40Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,260
No formal educational credential
$27,920 – $39,400-1.1%
41Pharmacists$139,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,780 – $168,650-1.3%
42Office Clerks, General$44,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,950 – $54,950-1.5%
43First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$73,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,710 – $97,280-1.5%
44First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$78,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,690 – $104,150-1.6%
45Social and Community Service Managers$78,750
Bachelor's degree
$58,520 – $126,360-2.0%
46Butchers and Meat Cutters$39,290
No formal educational credential
$29,520 – $54,180-2.1%
47Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,440
Associate's degree
$41,270 – $78,520-2.3%
48Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,460 – $76,960-2.5%
49Public Safety Telecommunicators$51,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,430 – $73,030-2.6%
50Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$58,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,870 – $82,860-3.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianManhattan, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,600	$47,740 – $77,360	+35.3%
2	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$49,160	$34,060 – $59,940	+28.9%
3	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,750	$37,680 – $98,310	+24.2%
4	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$123,990	$72,310 – $184,480	+18.2%
5	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$77,810	$49,220 – $89,550	+17.6%
6	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$87,730	$58,670 – $160,000	+14.4%
7	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,620	$49,440 – $61,610	+11.9%
8	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$294,890	$129,120 – $421,190	+10.9%
9	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,290	$44,950 – $64,940	+10.0%
10	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,920	$90,070 – $225,180	+9.9%
11	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$51,610	$40,570 – $67,300	+8.9%
12	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,540	$45,600 – $120,380	+8.6%
13	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$113,160	$68,190 – $237,530	+8.2%
14	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,260	$43,120 – $109,700	+8.0%
15	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,730	$16,250 – $58,290	+4.5%
16	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,620	$48,690 – $65,170	+4.4%
17	Agricultural TechniciansAssociate's degree	$51,270	$32,890 – $66,610	+3.3%
18	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,060	$40,700 – $59,950	+3.2%
19	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,920	$42,600 – $71,400	+2.9%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,780	$35,700 – $81,010	+2.5%
21	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$51,820	$39,120 – $59,950	+2.4%
22	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,860	$49,720 – $99,000	+2.1%
23	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$64,260	$39,690 – $84,220	+2.1%
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,560	$65,090 – $138,990	+1.6%
25	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$51,620	$51,620 – $76,400	+1.4%
26	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$115,610	$66,660 – $183,590	+1.3%
27	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$47,730	$35,750 – $59,220	+1.3%
28	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,860	$72,460 – $173,060	+1.1%
29	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$37,020	$29,620 – $48,810	+1.0%
30	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,170	$44,550 – $78,520	+1.0%
31	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$36,250 – $59,440	+1.0%
32	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,400	$49,940 – $115,720	+0.6%
33	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$57,030	$46,450 – $79,140	0.0%
34	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$78,560	$47,020 – $131,240	-0.2%
35	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,750	$58,710 – $92,800	-0.4%
36	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,030	$35,780 – $59,100	-0.6%
37	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$35,400	$24,550 – $51,820	-0.7%
38	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$41,030	$26,600 – $76,080	-0.7%
39	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,750	$38,750 – $86,440	-1.1%
40	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$35,260	$27,920 – $39,400	-1.1%
41	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,080	$109,780 – $168,650	-1.3%
42	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,350	$36,950 – $54,950	-1.5%
43	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,300	$44,710 – $97,280	-1.5%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,660	$55,690 – $104,150	-1.6%
45	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$78,750	$58,520 – $126,360	-2.0%
46	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$39,290	$29,520 – $54,180	-2.1%
47	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,440	$41,270 – $78,520	-2.3%
48	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,910	$46,460 – $76,960	-2.5%
49	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,640	$42,430 – $73,030	-2.6%
50	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,080	$41,870 – $82,860	-3.0%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Manhattan, KS

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