Fastest-growing jobs in Kansas
With the country eager to put the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the American economy continued to boom in 2023. The national unemployment rate remained around 3.6%, while the total number of people employed grew to roughly 152 million, up from 148 million in 2022.
The economy has seen several significant changes in recent years. Many people are leaving expensive coastal states such as California and New York and moving to more affordable places in the Mountain West region and the South, buoyed by companies that have embraced remote work. What's more, in a reversal of past trends, wages grew the fastest for lower-earning workers.
Stacker analyzed jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the fastest-growing jobs in Kansas. Occupations were ranked by the percentage increase in employment between 2022 and 2023. Jobs were excluded from the ranking if they had fewer than 1,000 people working in them in the state.
Keep reading to learn which jobs are growing the fastest in Kansas.
#50. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +15.2% (150 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,140
--- Employment in 2022: 990
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $69,540
#49. Special education teachers, secondary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.0% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,670
--- Employment in 2022: 1,440
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,760
#48. Security guards
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.2% (900 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,470
--- Employment in 2022: 5,570
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $33,470
#47. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.7% (410 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,860
--- Employment in 2022: 2,450
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $27,390
#46. Insurance sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +16.9% (930 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 6,440
--- Employment in 2022: 5,510
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,720
#45. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.0% (590 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,070
--- Employment in 2022: 3,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $57,670
#44. Bartenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.0% (780 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 5,380
--- Employment in 2022: 4,600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,790
#43. Industrial engineers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.0% (490 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,370
--- Employment in 2022: 2,880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $93,560
#42. Fast food and counter workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.2% (5,970 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 40,690
--- Employment in 2022: 34,720
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $26,580
#41. Special education teachers, kindergarten and elementary school
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.3% (220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 1,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,030
#40. Kindergarten teachers, except special education
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.3% (170 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,150
--- Employment in 2022: 980
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $52,670
#39. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +17.7% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,330
--- Employment in 2022: 2,830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,340
#38. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (550 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,590
--- Employment in 2022: 3,040
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,390
#37. Software developers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.1% (2,220 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 14,490
--- Employment in 2022: 12,270
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $104,250
#36. Medical records specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.5% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,180
--- Employment in 2022: 1,840
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $46,750
#35. Public relations specialists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.7% (340 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,160
--- Employment in 2022: 1,820
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $60,020
#34. Dental hygienists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +18.9% (330 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,080
--- Employment in 2022: 1,750
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $78,670
#33. Occupational therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +20.6% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,580
--- Employment in 2022: 1,310
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $94,340
#32. Child, family, and school social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.4% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 3,580
--- Employment in 2022: 2,950
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,950
#31. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.5% (1,520 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 8,590
--- Employment in 2022: 7,070
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $74,730
#30. Tutors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +21.6% (190 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 880
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $31,200
#29. Human resources managers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +22.5% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,250
--- Employment in 2022: 1,020
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $127,330
#28. Psychiatric technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +23.6% (260 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,360
--- Employment in 2022: 1,100
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,230
#27. Recreation workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.5% (580 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,950
--- Employment in 2022: 2,370
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $29,260
#26. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.7% (230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,160
--- Employment in 2022: 930
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $59,430
#25. Sheet metal workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +24.8% (380 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,910
--- Employment in 2022: 1,530
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $48,660
#24. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.3% (210 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,040
--- Employment in 2022: 830
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $44,310
#23. Real estate sales agents
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.5% (270 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,060
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $54,300
#22. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +25.9% (350 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,700
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $49,990
#21. Highway maintenance workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +26.9% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,120
--- Employment in 2022: 1,670
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $38,790
#20. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +27.7% (1,690 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 7,800
--- Employment in 2022: 6,110
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $39,690
#19. Computer occupations, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +28.6% (320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,440
--- Employment in 2022: 1,120
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $91,100
#18. Physical therapists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +29.5% (650 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,850
--- Employment in 2022: 2,200
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $95,790
#17. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.2% (540 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,330
--- Employment in 2022: 1,790
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $76,320
#16. Manicurists and pedicurists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +30.4% (280 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,200
--- Employment in 2022: 920
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $28,610
#15. Chefs and head cooks
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +31.3% (300 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,260
--- Employment in 2022: 960
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $53,760
#14. Surgical technologists
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.0% (310 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,250
--- Employment in 2022: 940
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,020
#13. Financial and investment analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +33.6% (450 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,790
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $79,190
#12. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +35.3% (1,230 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 4,710
--- Employment in 2022: 3,480
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $35,060
#11. Emergency medical technicians
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +37.0% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,350
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $30,890
#10. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +39.0% (390 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,390
--- Employment in 2022: 1,000
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $32,760
#9. Physical therapist assistants
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.4% (440 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,350
--- Employment in 2022: 910
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $61,160
#8. Slaughterers and meat packers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +48.7% (750 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,290
--- Employment in 2022: 1,540
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $45,450
#7. Information security analysts
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +51.6% (630 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,850
--- Employment in 2022: 1,220
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $101,430
#6. Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +69.0% (600 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,470
--- Employment in 2022: 870
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $51,660
#5. Database administrators
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +78.3% (470 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,070
--- Employment in 2022: 600
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $133,200
#4. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +79.7% (510 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,150
--- Employment in 2022: 640
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $22,230
#3. Service unit operators, oil and gas
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +96.2% (500 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,020
--- Employment in 2022: 520
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,420
#2. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +98.5% (1,320 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 2,660
--- Employment in 2022: 1,340
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $37,130
#1. Food processing workers, all other
- Increase in employment 2022-2023: +238.6% (1,050 employees)
--- Employment in 2023: 1,490
--- Employment in 2022: 440
--- Median annual salary in 2023: $42,890
This story features data reporting and writing by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
