Is Kansas a good state for your salary to go far?

Kansas ranks #29 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 99.0 across 368 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 90.1 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Kansas?

Kansas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 90.1, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Kansas

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Kansas

Kansas ranks #29 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 99.0, base = 100). Cost of living 90.1 (US = 100); top income tax 5.58%.

Does a salary go further in Kansas? (cost of living + state tax)

In Kansas, the cost of living is 90.1 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 99.0 across 368 occupations, ranking it #29 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Kansas ranks #29 of 51 states. Mean across 368 occupations; 100 = the average state, 99.0 means pay goes -1.0% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

99.0

Real pay by occupation in Kansas (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Teachers and Instructors, All Other	$94,520	$99,975	151.0
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents	$88,610	$93,779	143.9
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	$130,850	$138,060	133.2
Education Administrators, All Other	$117,810	$124,390	132.9
Packers and Packagers, Hand	$44,460	$47,496	132.4
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$48,080	$51,291	129.6
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$49,880	$53,178	129.0
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	$47,750	$50,945	127.8
Tour and Travel Guides	$43,700	$46,699	124.2
Driver/Sales Workers	$43,180	$46,154	122.7
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other	$54,830	$58,367	122.6
Sales Managers	$159,990	$168,608	122.3
Purchasing Managers	$159,850	$168,462	121.5
Loan Officers	$86,970	$92,060	121.2
Facilities Managers	$117,270	$123,824	117.3
Waiters and Waitresses	$36,120	$38,753	114.7
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$65,270	$69,312	114.4
Travel Agents	$53,600	$57,078	113.8
Crane and Tower Operators	$77,100	$81,713	113.1
Financial Managers	$159,380	$167,969	112.9
Construction Managers	$120,810	$127,535	112.8
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment	$37,370	$40,064	112.6
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders	$44,890	$47,947	111.6
Administrative Services Managers	$118,570	$125,187	111.5
Food Batchmakers	$42,850	$45,808	111.3
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$76,920	$81,525	111.2
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$53,680	$57,162	111.1
Personal Financial Advisors	$102,530	$108,372	110.8
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other	$54,180	$57,686	110.2
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$57,960	$61,648	110.2
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers	$61,270	$65,118	110.1
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$101,620	$107,418	110.0
Education Administrators, Postsecondary	$110,020	$116,224	109.9
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	$77,360	$81,986	109.3
Chemical Technicians	$61,560	$65,422	109.0
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse	$37,020	$39,697	108.9
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers	$61,480	$65,339	108.6
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians	$80,270	$85,036	108.5
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$50,750	$54,090	108.5
Optometrists	$138,580	$146,164	108.4

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 368 BLS publishes for Kansas. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (90.1, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Kansas, a $85,000 salary is worth about $89,107 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $4,743 (≈ top marginal 5.58% (upper bound)) · take-home $80,257 · BEA cost of living 90.1 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $6,845 gain over Kansas.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Kansas real pay — FAQ

Is Kansas a good state for your salary to go far?: Kansas ranks #29 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 99.0 across 368 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 90.1 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Kansas?: Kansas's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 90.1, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Kansas is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.