Highest-paying jobs in Kansas City
The rich are getting richer, and have been for some time.
Across the nation, wages have continued to rise this year despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to temper inflation. In June, average weekly earnings grew at a higher rate than the Consumer Price Index, the nation's primary inflation indicator.
While pay is increasing across income levels, the historical growth for high-income jobs has been most profound. High-income jobs have grown 69% over the past 50 years—more than both middle- and lower-income jobs, a Pew Trusts analysis shows.
The highest earners in the U.S. are what you'd expect: doctors and other medical professionals, engineers, tech workers, executives, and corporate leaders. Nationally, the 50 top-paying jobs all require at least a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's, doctorate, or another professional degree. Indeed, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that higher degree holders earn more in a typical week and face lower rates of unemployment.
Still, the exact positions that pay the most vary depending on where in the country you are located. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Kansas City. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022, so jobs without annual compensation estimates available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Economists
- Median annual wage: $104,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: 210 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $105,100
- Median hourly wage: $50.53
- Total employment: 1,610 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $105,410
- Median hourly wage: $50.68
- Total employment: 100 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,830
- Median hourly wage: $50.88
- Total employment: 2,570 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $106,120
- Median hourly wage: $51.02
- Total employment: 280 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $106,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.12
- Total employment: 790 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,940
- Median hourly wage: $51.42
- Total employment: 610 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,290
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $107,370
- Median hourly wage: $51.62
- Total employment: 1,870 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $107,610
- Median hourly wage: $51.74
- Total employment: 440 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $109,430
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $109,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 330 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $110,180
- Median hourly wage: $52.97
- Total employment: 260 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $110,640
- Median hourly wage: $53.19
- Total employment: 140 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Physical scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $114,670
- Median hourly wage: $55.13
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Podiatrists
- Median annual wage: $115,530
- Median hourly wage: $55.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $115,790
- Median hourly wage: $55.67
- Total employment: 290 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $118,140
- Median hourly wage: $56.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $119,840
- Median hourly wage: $57.62
- Total employment: 2,800 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $120,690
- Median hourly wage: $58.02
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $123,700
- Median hourly wage: $59.47
- Total employment: 400 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $125,620
- Median hourly wage: $60.40
- Total employment: 1,060 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $126,240
- Median hourly wage: $60.69
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $127,820
- Median hourly wage: $61.45
- Total employment: 2,460 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $128,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.95
- Total employment: 510 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $129,370
- Median hourly wage: $62.20
- Total employment: 5,470 people (5.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $129,750
- Median hourly wage: $62.38
- Total employment: 1,260 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $131,900
- Median hourly wage: $63.42
- Total employment: 230 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $132,380
- Median hourly wage: $63.64
- Total employment: Not available
#21. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $133,740
- Median hourly wage: $64.30
- Total employment: Not available
#20. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $134,400
- Median hourly wage: $64.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $134,640
- Median hourly wage: $64.73
- Total employment: 2,720 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $135,080
- Median hourly wage: $64.94
- Total employment: 180 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,580
- Median hourly wage: $65.18
- Total employment: 2,740 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $137,160
- Median hourly wage: $65.94
- Total employment: 3,880 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $145,450
- Median hourly wage: $69.93
- Total employment: 390 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $154,690
- Median hourly wage: $74.37
- Total employment: 1,140 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $163,310
- Median hourly wage: $78.52
- Total employment: 730 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Anesthesiologists
- Median annual wage: $166,000
- Median hourly wage: $79.81
- Total employment: 310 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $166,570
- Median hourly wage: $80.08
- Total employment: 1,500 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $167,100
- Median hourly wage: $80.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $181,140
- Median hourly wage: $87.09
- Total employment: 370 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $186,170
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $204,740
- Median hourly wage: $98.43
- Total employment: 2,760 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $204,950
- Median hourly wage: $98.54
- Total employment: 1,380 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: Not available
#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: Not available
#1. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: Exact median salary unknown; at least $239,200 per year or $115 per hour
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
