Wichita, KS
Across all occupations in the Wichita, KS metropolitan area, the median wage is $47,630 a year ($22.90 an hour) and the mean $58,830, May 2025. That median is −7% against the US median of $50,980 and −1% against Kansas's $48,010. BLS counts 308,570 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is pediatricians, general; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: Wichita, KS vs Kansas and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Wichita, KS | Hourly | $13.40 | $16.91 | $22.90 | $34.01 | $47.78 | $28.28 | 308,570 |
| Annual | $27,860 | $35,160 | $47,630 | $70,740 | $99,380 | $58,830 | ||
| 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 | ||
479 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 Wichita, KS
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pediatricians, General | $228,820 | $110.01 | 50 |
| 2 | Nurse Anesthetists | $205,540 | $98.82 | 220 |
| 3 | Chief Executives | $198,910 | $95.63 | 350 |
| 4 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $163,230 | * | 260 |
| 5 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Kansas | $156,130 | $75.06 | 550 |
| 6 | Purchasing Managers | $155,970 | $74.99 | 160 |
| 7 | Financial Managers in Kansas | $155,060 | $74.55 | 1,060 |
| 8 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $154,310 | $74.19 | 350 |
| 9 | Physicians, All Other | $151,470 | $72.82 | 1,170 |
| 10 | Marketing Managers | $150,210 | $72.22 | 240 |
| 11 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $148,910 | $71.59 | 60 |
| 12 | Pharmacists | $142,400 | $68.46 | 580 |
| 13 | Sales Managers in Kansas | $134,650 | $64.74 | 960 |
| 14 | Human Resources Managers | $132,050 | $63.48 | 220 |
| 15 | Managers, All Other in Kansas | $131,710 | $63.32 | 470 |
| 16 | Aerospace Engineers | $130,720 | $62.85 | 1,430 |
| 17 | Chemical Engineers | $128,780 | $61.92 | ** |
| 18 | Industrial Production Managers | $127,360 | $61.23 | 510 |
| 19 | Optometrists | $123,940 | $59.59 | 120 |
| 20 | Physician Assistants | $121,640 | $58.48 | 240 |
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 Wichita, KS
Most concentrated occupations in Wichita, 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 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | 140.11 | 9,460 | 30.66 | $59,850 |
| 2 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic | 49.68 | 590 | 1.91 | $79,240 |
| 3 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | 22.77 | 510 | 1.65 | $78,350 |
| 4 | Aerospace Engineers | 10.66 | 1,430 | 4.64 | $130,720 |
| 5 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | 6.93 | 390 | 1.27 | $99,790 |
| 6 | Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | 6.54 | 780 | 2.52 | $60,570 |
| 7 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 5.59 | 370 | 1.19 | $107,260 |
| 8 | Recreational Therapists | 4.87 | 140 | 0.47 | $36,780 |
| 9 | Materials Engineers | 4.25 | 190 | 0.62 | $100,000 |
| 10 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 4.19 | 1,320 | 4.28 | $58,770 |
Occupation groups in Wichita, KS
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $105,260 | $123,310 | 14,950 | 48.44 | 0.68 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $84,790 | $91,450 | 6,330 | 20.50 | 0.61 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $84,060 | $96,600 | 7,870 | 25.52 | 1.52 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $76,890 | $83,890 | 18,080 | 58.58 | 0.86 |
| Legal | $76,050 | $91,820 | 1,620 | 5.25 | 0.63 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $75,530 | $91,540 | 20,850 | 67.56 | 1.07 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $72,810 | $79,360 | 1,840 | 5.96 | 0.63 |
| Production | $59,450 | $58,980 | 33,420 | 108.32 | 1.97 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $58,880 | $61,590 | 13,640 | 44.21 | 1.13 |
| Construction and Extraction | $50,560 | $57,630 | 13,990 | 45.35 | 1.10 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $50,230 | $52,660 | 18,320 | 59.38 | 1.01 |
| Community and Social Service | $49,000 | $52,910 | 5,330 | 17.28 | 1.01 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $48,380 | $60,160 | 3,030 | 9.83 | 0.75 |
| Protective Service | $47,970 | $52,340 | 6,830 | 22.13 | 0.91 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $43,740 | $46,240 | 34,310 | 111.19 | 0.97 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $39,930 | $45,360 | 23,830 | 77.24 | 0.88 |
| Healthcare Support | $35,970 | $36,660 | 14,820 | 48.03 | 0.95 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $35,330 | $36,530 | 7,550 | 24.46 | 0.84 |
| Sales and Related | $34,730 | $45,710 | 26,080 | 84.52 | 0.98 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $33,960 | $36,490 | 340 | 1.10 | 0.39 |
| Personal Care and Service | $29,550 | $34,080 | 6,820 | 22.10 | 1.06 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $28,300 | $32,160 | 28,710 | 93.06 | 1.06 |
Every occupation in Kansas, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 479 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 Wichita, KS estimates (area 48620).
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment 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 Wichita, 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.