StateRates

Lawrence salaries

The median worker in the Lawrence, KS metro area earned $45,240 a year in 2024, about $21.75 an hour. That ranks #250 of the 391 metro areas published here, 8.6% below the national median.

Kansas

Median pay $45,240 $21.75 per hour
Vs national -8.6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 51,290 wage and salary
Metro rank #250 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Lawrence pays 3.4% less than Kansas as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Printing Press Operators 10.87× 520 $40,580
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2.49× 3,130 $27,820
Bartenders 2.01× 500 $29,130
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1.9× 1,100 $40,010
Customer Service Representatives 1.73× 1,570 $37,380
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 1.6× 630 $37,760
Waiters and Waitresses 1.55× 1,180 $35,250
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1.44× 700 $46,920
Cashiers 1.33× 1,390 $27,880
Cooks, Restaurant 1.32× 640 $34,390
Nursing Assistants 1.16× 530 $37,500
Retail Salespersons 1.05× 1,320 $30,430

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Lawrence
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Software Developers $104,260 $50.13 330
General and Operations Managers $81,560 $39.21 920
Human Resources Specialists $79,950 $38.44 340
Registered Nurses $79,510 $38.23 790
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $77,630 $37.32 220
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $76,210 $36.64 230
Accountants and Auditors $75,520 $36.31 370
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $73,620 $35.40 300
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $71,430 $34.34 330
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $63,850 $30.70 380
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other $61,740 $29.68 310
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $61,730 $29.68 300
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $61,640 $29.64 400
Instructional Coordinators $60,410 $29.05 320
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,750 n/a 390
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $57,200 n/a 250
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $54,190 $26.05 440
Carpenters $53,430 $25.69 220
Computer User Support Specialists $51,210 $24.62 220
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $50,430 $24.25 240
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $48,850 $23.48 200
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $48,600 n/a 470
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $46,920 $22.56 700
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,780 $22.49 460
Construction Laborers $46,110 $22.17 290
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $46,060 $22.14 230
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $45,930 $22.08 380
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $45,050 $21.66 390
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $44,560 $21.43 200
Social and Human Service Assistants $42,570 $20.47 330
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $40,830 $19.63 530
Printing Press Operators $40,580 $19.51 520
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $40,010 $19.24 1,100
Light Truck Drivers $39,200 $18.84 310
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $37,760 $18.15 630
Nursing Assistants $37,500 $18.03 530
Customer Service Representatives $37,380 $17.97 1,570
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $37,200 $17.89 380
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors $36,360 $17.48 370
Stockers and Order Fillers $36,100 $17.35 830
Waiters and Waitresses $35,250 $16.95 1,180
Cooks, Restaurant $34,390 $16.53 640
Receptionists and Information Clerks $33,760 $16.23 310
Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials $32,970 n/a 200
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $31,760 $15.27 580
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $31,750 $15.27 300
Retail Salespersons $30,430 $14.63 1,320
Recreation Workers $30,370 $14.60 230
Food Preparation Workers $30,310 $14.57 300
Bartenders $29,130 $14.01 500
Childcare Workers $28,860 $13.88 290
Cashiers $27,880 $13.41 1,390
Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,820 $13.37 3,130
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $26,000 $12.50 560
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $24,380 $11.72 260
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary $21,520 n/a 490

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Lawrence by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 3,130 $27,820 $13.37
Customer Service Representatives 1,570 $37,380 $17.97
Cashiers 1,390 $27,880 $13.41
Retail Salespersons 1,320 $30,430 $14.63
Waiters and Waitresses 1,180 $35,250 $16.95
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,100 $40,010 $19.24
General and Operations Managers 920 $81,560 $39.21
Stockers and Order Fillers 830 $36,100 $17.35
Registered Nurses 790 $79,510 $38.23
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 700 $46,920 $22.56
Cooks, Restaurant 640 $34,390 $16.53
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 630 $37,760 $18.15
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 580 $31,760 $15.27
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 560 $26,000 $12.50
Nursing Assistants 530 $37,500 $18.03
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 530 $40,830 $19.63
Printing Press Operators 520 $40,580 $19.51
Bartenders 500 $29,130 $14.01
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 490 $21,520 n/a
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 470 $48,600 n/a

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Kansas metro areas

Lawrence pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Lawrence?

The median across all occupations is $45,240, or $21.75 an hour, covering 51,290 wage and salary workers. The mean is $57,090, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Lawrence pay more than the rest of Kansas?

No. The metro median of $45,240 is 3.4% below the Kansas median of $46,850. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Lawrence?

Software Developers ($104,260), General and Operations Managers ($81,560), Human Resources Specialists ($79,950). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Lawrence unusually full of?

Printing Press Operators, at 10.87× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.