Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Wichita, KS

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

Cost of living: prices in Wichita, KS run 11.1% below the national average (2024), so a Wichita, KS salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Wichita, KS

OccupationMedian, Wichita, KS · vs. national

1Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$163,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,710 – $284,940+52.1%
2Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$99,790
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,540 – $130,110+46.5%
3Tool and Die Makers$83,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,350 – $84,140+31.0%
4Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$63,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,100 – $88,450+29.8%
5Industrial Machinery Mechanics$83,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,490 – $90,620+29.5%
6Loan Officers$99,170
Bachelor's degree
$49,590 – $156,790+29.3%
7Teachers and Instructors, All Other$85,300
Bachelor's degree
$53,580 – $103,630+29.0%
8Millwrights$82,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,830 – $88,980+26.2%
9Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$47,920
Associate's degree
$26,960 – $66,120+25.6%
10Commercial and Industrial Designers$105,180
Bachelor's degree
$83,310 – $214,580+25.3%
11Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$79,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,720 – $96,310+24.1%
12Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,570 – $76,890+21.8%
13Operations Research Analysts$102,880
Bachelor's degree
$78,800 – $129,800+15.7%
14Mechanical Drafters$82,590
Associate's degree
$46,190 – $117,030+15.4%
15Crane and Tower Operators$78,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,320 – $87,500+14.8%
16Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$66,750
No formal educational credential
$48,880 – $75,280+14.2%
17Residential Advisors$47,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,150 – $65,430+13.1%
18Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$117,870
Bachelor's degree
$63,350 – $213,610+12.3%
19Driver/Sales Workers$43,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$21,890 – $56,180+11.3%
20Packers and Packagers, Hand$40,360
No formal educational credential
$23,640 – $41,530+11.2%
21Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$66,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $99,680+11.1%
22Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$107,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,870 – $114,210+10.9%
23Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$85,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,260 – $176,410+10.4%
24Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$68,640
Associate's degree
$42,550 – $105,120+10.2%
25Aircraft Service Attendants$44,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,660 – $47,470+10.0%
26Tax Preparers$60,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,630 – $81,290+9.7%
27Helpers--Electricians$46,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,700 – $56,630+9.0%
28Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$65,300
Master's degree
$48,100 – $76,130+8.3%
29Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,230 – $121,200+8.0%
30Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$67,980
Bachelor's degree
$38,570 – $106,640+8.0%
31Education Administrators, Postsecondary$112,010
Master's degree
$62,670 – $221,070+7.1%
32Helpers--Production Workers$41,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,140 – $52,500+7.1%
33Facilities Managers$113,310
Bachelor's degree
$76,760 – $172,170+6.2%
34Waiters and Waitresses$37,300
No formal educational credential
$17,300 – $63,560+5.9%
35Purchasing Managers$155,970
Bachelor's degree
$96,430 – $249,960+5.3%
36Surveying and Mapping Technicians$56,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,150 – $80,290+4.9%
37Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$51,520
No formal educational credential
$38,980 – $89,080+4.9%
38Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,110 – $56,340+4.8%
39Information and Record Clerks, All Other$51,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $64,940+4.3%
40Electricians$65,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,700 – $96,830+3.9%
41Postal Service Clerks$63,650
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $76,360+2.4%
42First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,310 – $132,200+2.1%
43Business Operations Specialists, All Other$84,460
Bachelor's degree
$51,240 – $135,500+1.7%
44First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$56,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $96,490+1.4%
45Pharmacists$142,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,230 – $165,940+1.1%
46Industrial Production Managers$127,360
Bachelor's degree
$85,380 – $210,960+1.0%
47Tire Repairers and Changers$38,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,280 – $56,100+0.9%
48Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$54,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,020 – $71,890+0.8%
49Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$50,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,670 – $83,070+0.4%
50Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $57,110+0.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWichita, KS	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$163,230	$52,710 – $284,940	+52.1%
2	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,790	$59,540 – $130,110	+46.5%
3	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$83,890	$62,350 – $84,140	+31.0%
4	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,030	$41,100 – $88,450	+29.8%
5	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,540	$49,490 – $90,620	+29.5%
6	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$99,170	$49,590 – $156,790	+29.3%
7	Teachers and Instructors, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,300	$53,580 – $103,630	+29.0%
8	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,890	$44,830 – $88,980	+26.2%
9	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$47,920	$26,960 – $66,120	+25.6%
10	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$105,180	$83,310 – $214,580	+25.3%
11	Layout Workers, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,240	$45,720 – $96,310	+24.1%
12	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,770	$36,570 – $76,890	+21.8%
13	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,880	$78,800 – $129,800	+15.7%
14	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$82,590	$46,190 – $117,030	+15.4%
15	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,180	$60,320 – $87,500	+14.8%
16	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$66,750	$48,880 – $75,280	+14.2%
17	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,770	$27,150 – $65,430	+13.1%
18	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$117,870	$63,350 – $213,610	+12.3%
19	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,150	$21,890 – $56,180	+11.3%
20	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$40,360	$23,640 – $41,530	+11.2%
21	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,300	$38,110 – $99,680	+11.1%
22	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,260	$79,870 – $114,210	+10.9%
23	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$85,690	$42,260 – $176,410	+10.4%
24	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$68,640	$42,550 – $105,120	+10.2%
25	Aircraft Service AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,480	$31,660 – $47,470	+10.0%
26	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,260	$35,630 – $81,290	+9.7%
27	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,490	$29,700 – $56,630	+9.0%
28	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$65,300	$48,100 – $76,130	+8.3%
29	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,920	$58,230 – $121,200	+8.0%
30	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$67,980	$38,570 – $106,640	+8.0%
31	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$112,010	$62,670 – $221,070	+7.1%
32	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,840	$31,140 – $52,500	+7.1%
33	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,310	$76,760 – $172,170	+6.2%
34	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,300	$17,300 – $63,560	+5.9%
35	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,970	$96,430 – $249,960	+5.3%
36	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,910	$37,150 – $80,290	+4.9%
37	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$51,520	$38,980 – $89,080	+4.9%
38	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,280	$32,110 – $56,340	+4.8%
39	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,630	$38,880 – $64,940	+4.3%
40	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,670	$38,700 – $96,830	+3.9%
41	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,650	$55,350 – $76,360	+2.4%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,030	$49,310 – $132,200	+2.1%
43	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,460	$51,240 – $135,500	+1.7%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,720	$36,860 – $96,490	+1.4%
45	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,400	$107,230 – $165,940	+1.1%
46	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,360	$85,380 – $210,960	+1.0%
47	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,060	$28,280 – $56,100	+0.9%
48	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,190	$39,020 – $71,890	+0.8%
49	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,510	$37,670 – $83,070	+0.4%
50	Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,340	$37,360 – $57,110	+0.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Wichita, KS

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