Average Salaries in Lawrence, KS
Explore salaries across 217 occupations in Lawrence, KS. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $59.7K, -3.1% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 217 occupations and 43,880 total jobs in Lawrence, KS.
How the metro compares
Wages in Lawrence, KS track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Lawrence, KS is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Business Teachers, Postsecondary. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Lawrence, KS
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Lawrence, KS
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $162.3K | 150 |
| Chief Executives | $155.4K | 70 |
| Sales Managers | $150.4K | 110 |
| Financial Managers | $149.2K | 130 |
| Marketing Managers | $147.8K | 50 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $140.5K | 90 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $132.4K | 30 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $128.3K | 110 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $126.6K | 90 |
| Pharmacists | $124.6K | 160 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Lawrence, KS
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 3,130 | $27.8K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,570 | $37.4K |
| Cashiers | 1,390 | $27.9K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,320 | $30.4K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,180 | $35.3K |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 1,100 | $40.0K |
| General And Operations Managers | 920 | $81.6K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 830 | $36.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 790 | $79.5K |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, And Auditing Clerks | 700 | $46.9K |
What Lawrence, KS specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Lawrence, KS than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Lawrence, KS
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Umpires, Referees, And Other Sports Officials | 39.47 | $33.0K |
| Prepress Technicians And Workers | 15.90 | $48.7K |
| Life, Physical, And Social Science Technicians, All Other | 13.13 | $61.7K |
| Printing Press Operators | 10.87 | $40.6K |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 6.88 | $140.5K |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 5.47 | $162.3K |
| English Language And Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 4.57 | $80.1K |
| Instructional Coordinators | 4.56 | $60.4K |
| Fundraisers | 4.56 | $63.9K |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics And Service Technicians | 4.02 | $55.6K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Lawrence, KS
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.