Manhattan, KS
Across all occupations in the Manhattan, KS metropolitan area, the median wage is $45,900 a year ($22.07 an hour) and the mean $56,680, May 2025. That median is −10% against the US median of $50,980 and −4% against Kansas's $48,010. BLS counts 53,500 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is physicians, all other; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: Manhattan, KS vs Kansas and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Manhattan, KS | Hourly | $13.06 | $15.89 | $22.07 | $31.96 | $47.79 | $27.25 | 53,500 |
| Annual | $27,160 | $33,040 | $45,900 | $66,480 | $99,390 | $56,680 | ||
| Kansas | Hourly | $13.72 | $17.25 | $23.08 | $34.75 | $49.64 | $29.15 | 1,437,520 |
| Annual | $28,530 | $35,880 | $48,010 | $72,280 | $103,250 | $60,640 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
235 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: Kansas. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Manhattan, KS
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $294,890 | $141.77 | 130 |
| 2 | Sales Managers in Kansas | $162,920 | $78.33 | 130 |
| 3 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $157,400 | $75.67 | 50 |
| 4 | Marketing Managers | $151,780 | $72.97 | 30 |
| 5 | Natural Sciences Managers | $140,850 | $67.71 | 30 |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Kansas | $139,180 | $66.91 | 120 |
| 7 | Pharmacists | $139,080 | $66.87 | 80 |
| 8 | Chief Executives | $138,290 | $66.48 | 80 |
| 9 | Financial Managers in Kansas | $137,240 | $65.98 | 180 |
| 10 | Lawyers in Kansas | $124,230 | $59.73 | 120 |
| 11 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $123,990 | $59.61 | 40 |
| 12 | Administrative Services Managers | $115,610 | $55.58 | 40 |
| 13 | Nurse Practitioners | $115,350 | $55.46 | 90 |
| 14 | Industrial Production Managers | $114,990 | $55.28 | 60 |
| 15 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $113,160 | $54.41 | 180 |
| 16 | Human Resources Managers | $112,140 | $53.91 | 40 |
| 17 | Construction Managers | $111,360 | $53.54 | 150 |
| 18 | Facilities Managers | $107,860 | $51.86 | 40 |
| 19 | Managers, All Other in Kansas | $106,610 | $51.26 | 110 |
| 20 | Medical and Health Services Managers | $106,330 | $51.12 | 220 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Manhattan, KS
Most concentrated occupations in Manhattan, KS
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | 4.56 | 200 | 3.78 | $51,610 |
| 2 | Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | 3.12 | 140 | 2.54 | $33,630 |
| 3 | Education Administrators, Postsecondary | 2.94 | 180 | 3.42 | $113,160 |
| 4 | Fundraisers | 2.88 | 110 | 2.06 | $65,870 |
| 5 | Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 2.62 | 470 | 8.84 | $34,510 |
| 6 | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 2.39 | 330 | 6.13 | $27,980 |
| 7 | Information and Record Clerks, All Other | 2.27 | 110 | 1.97 | $51,060 |
| 8 | Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in Kansas | 2.24 | 1,100 | 20.50 | $31,020 |
| 9 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 2.20 | 360 | 6.77 | $58,080 |
| 10 | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Kansas | 2.10 | 1,230 | 23.02 | $40,460 |
Occupation groups in Manhattan, KS
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $101,480 | $116,020 | 2,970 | 55.52 | 0.78 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $84,020 | $89,980 | 1,160 | 21.76 | 0.64 |
| Legal | $79,440 | $96,800 | 230 | 4.25 | 0.51 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $77,810 | $83,040 | 930 | 17.40 | 1.03 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $77,700 | $86,630 | 2,910 | 54.32 | 0.86 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $71,760 | $78,670 | 3,820 | 71.32 | 1.05 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $69,820 | $75,290 | 760 | 14.13 | 1.49 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $57,000 | $59,120 | 2,150 | 40.13 | 1.03 |
| Construction and Extraction | $56,830 | $59,410 | 2,440 | 45.56 | 1.10 |
| Protective Service | $52,220 | $56,540 | 1,090 | 20.28 | 0.84 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $51,340 | $61,730 | 560 | 10.46 | 0.79 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $49,970 | $62,710 | 5,610 | 104.80 | 1.79 |
| Community and Social Service | $49,340 | $52,150 | 1,030 | 19.22 | 1.12 |
| Production | $45,070 | $48,620 | 2,720 | 50.84 | 0.92 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $41,390 | $44,040 | 5,700 | 106.57 | 0.93 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $38,440 | $40,710 | 190 | 3.49 | 1.25 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $36,480 | $40,500 | 3,790 | 70.92 | 0.81 |
| Healthcare Support | $35,920 | $37,560 | 2,160 | 40.31 | 0.79 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $32,470 | $35,650 | 1,660 | 31.03 | 1.06 |
| Sales and Related | $30,800 | $41,930 | 4,690 | 87.62 | 1.01 |
| Personal Care and Service | $29,440 | $33,730 | 1,300 | 24.36 | 1.16 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $28,530 | $31,220 | 5,660 | 105.71 | 1.20 |
Every occupation in Kansas, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 235 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Manhattan, KS estimates (area 31740).
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Manhattan, KS area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.