Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Kansas
The median for waiters and waitresses in Kansas is $36,120 a year, somewhat above the national $35,230 (+3%); the state ranks 21st of 51 states by median. That is 25% less than the median across all occupations in Kansas ($48,010). Among neighbouring states, Colorado pays more (up to $44,860 in Colorado) and Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma pay less (down to $17,910 in Oklahoma). Kansas employs 19,480 waiters and waitresses, 13.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 32nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.93 is close to the national share.
Kansas vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $8.35 | $12.90 | $17.36 | $22.93 | $30.24 | $18.83 | 19,480 | 13.55 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $17,370 | $26,830 | $36,120 | $47,690 | $62,890 | $39,170 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 21st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 32nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.93
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.55
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kansas's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Kansas
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Kansas publish a row for waiters and waitresses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita, KS | $17.93 | $37,300 | $17,300 | $63,560 | 4,570 | 14.81 | 1.01 |
| Lawrence, KS | $17.90 | $37,230 | $19,980 | $65,290 | 1,190 | 23.01 | 1.58 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $17.35 | $36,080 | $28,600 | $63,260 | 16,540 | 15.09 | 1.03 |
| Topeka, KS | $16.87 | $35,090 | $17,250 | $62,690 | 1,330 | 11.50 | 0.79 |
| Manhattan, KS | $15.93 | $33,140 | $16,330 | $60,820 | 940 | 17.53 | 1.20 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $14.66 | $30,490 | $28,600 | $58,750 | 600 | 11.05 | 0.76 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $58,800 | 1,220 | 13.97 | 0.96 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $14.25 | $29,630 | $16,210 | $60,220 | 4,590 | 12.27 | 0.84 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (every state ranked) and the Kansas wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Kansas estimates.
- 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.