GaudiLab // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $96,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.60
- Total employment: 440 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Wichita
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Wichita. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $97,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.73
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $98,110
- Median hourly wage: $47.17
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $98,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.48
- Total employment: 730 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.52
- Total employment: 1,250 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $100,060
- Median hourly wage: $48.11
- Total employment: 140 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $100,170
- Median hourly wage: $48.16
- Total employment: 590 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $100,180
- Median hourly wage: $48.16
- Total employment: 910 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $100,520
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 530 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $100,900
- Median hourly wage: $48.51
- Total employment: 200 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $101,710
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: 190 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Postsecondary teachers, all other
- Median annual wage: $101,870
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 600 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $101,910
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $102,440
- Median hourly wage: $49.25
- Total employment: 2,170 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $103,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 410 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,950
- Median hourly wage: $50.46
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $107,230
- Median hourly wage: $51.55
- Total employment: 210 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $107,600
- Median hourly wage: $51.73
- Total employment: 260 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,780
- Median hourly wage: $51.82
- Total employment: 310 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $108,370
- Median hourly wage: $52.10
- Total employment: 630 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $108,420
- Median hourly wage: $52.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $113,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.80
- Total employment: Not available
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $116,970
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $117,260
- Median hourly wage: $56.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $118,090
- Median hourly wage: $56.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $119,920
- Median hourly wage: $57.65
- Total employment: 360 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $120,150
- Median hourly wage: $57.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $120,700
- Median hourly wage: $58.03
- Total employment: 720 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $121,790
- Median hourly wage: $58.55
- Total employment: 250 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 500 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $125,890
- Median hourly wage: $60.53
- Total employment: 480 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,700
- Median hourly wage: $60.91
- Total employment: 230 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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aappp // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,050
- Median hourly wage: $61.08
- Total employment: 1,510 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $133,860
- Median hourly wage: $64.36
- Total employment: 170 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $135,420
- Median hourly wage: $65.11
- Total employment: 760 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $135,790
- Median hourly wage: $65.28
- Total employment: 590 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $140,880
- Median hourly wage: $67.73
- Total employment: 1,170 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $142,400
- Median hourly wage: $68.46
- Total employment: 930 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $144,660
- Median hourly wage: $69.55
- Total employment: 510 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $148,030
- Median hourly wage: $71.17
- Total employment: 300 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $148,910
- Median hourly wage: $71.59
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $149,740
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $165,880
- Median hourly wage: $79.75
- Total employment: 240 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $169,770
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $179,740
- Median hourly wage: $86.41
- Total employment: 440 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $182,760
- Median hourly wage: $87.87
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $194,810
- Median hourly wage: $93.66
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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