StateRates

Topeka salaries

The median worker in the Topeka, KS metro area earned $47,840 a year in 2024, about $23.00 an hour. That ranks #148 of the 391 metro areas published here, 3.4% below the national median.

Kansas

Median pay $47,840 $23.00 per hour
Vs national -3.4% U.S. $49,500
Workers 112,540 wage and salary
Metro rank #148 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Topeka pays 2.1% more 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
Food Batchmakers 4.85× 610 $55,340
Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan 4.58× 530 $37,710
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment 2.66× 730 $36,190
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 2.4× 670 $39,820
Nursing Assistants 2.29× 2,320 $37,020
Correctional Officers and Jailers 2.07× 550 $50,920
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2.06× 2,610 $38,140
Social and Human Service Assistants 1.88× 580 $40,050
Management Analysts 1.77× 1,150 $64,800
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term 1.75× 620 $29,280
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 1.74× 800 $60,180
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 1.73× 590 $52,060

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Topeka
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Sales Managers $151,580 $72.87 300
Financial Managers $136,100 $65.43 370
Computer and Information Systems Managers $135,970 $65.37 330
Pharmacists $133,730 $64.30 280
Nurse Practitioners $127,960 $61.52 440
Chief Executives $122,040 $58.67 300
Managers, All Other $106,720 $51.31 280
Construction Managers $106,530 $51.21 270
Medical and Health Services Managers $106,500 $51.20 390
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $105,890 $50.91 310
Software Developers $102,240 $49.15 1,220
Project Management Specialists $96,320 $46.31 330
Personal Financial Advisors $96,230 $46.26 260
Lawyers $95,260 $45.80 670
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $93,640 $45.02 220
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $92,290 n/a 240
Computer Systems Analysts $91,420 $43.95 310
Civil Engineers $87,980 $42.30 250
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $85,380 $41.05 380
Dental Hygienists $83,210 $40.00 240
Loan Officers $82,910 $39.86 230
General and Operations Managers $81,600 $39.23 2,520
Registered Nurses $78,870 $37.92 3,170
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $77,640 $37.33 560
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $76,840 $36.94 630
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $76,560 $36.81 620
Cost Estimators $76,050 $36.56 200
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $74,660 $35.89 1,090
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $73,790 $35.48 330
Human Resources Specialists $72,530 $34.87 710
Accountants and Auditors $72,260 $34.74 1,300
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $70,960 $34.12 470
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $68,050 $32.71 370
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators $66,840 $32.13 320
Management Analysts $64,800 $31.15 1,150
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $63,700 $30.62 200
Public Relations Specialists $62,990 $30.29 330
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $62,130 $29.87 320
Electricians $61,980 $29.80 410
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $61,920 $29.77 330
Compliance Officers $61,880 $29.75 320
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $61,540 $29.59 300
Insurance Sales Agents $61,450 $29.54 470
Medical Records Specialists $60,900 $29.28 270
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $60,610 $29.14 250
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $60,490 $29.08 410
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $60,350 $29.02 660
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks $60,310 $29.00 260
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $60,180 $28.94 800
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $59,740 $28.72 590
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists $59,630 $28.67 320
Postal Service Mail Carriers $59,400 $28.56 270
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,330 n/a 880
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $59,130 $28.43 1,320
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $59,110 $28.42 270
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $57,990 $27.88 540
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $57,630 $27.71 430
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $57,050 $27.43 1,340
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $56,780 n/a 540
Training and Development Specialists $56,550 $27.19 330

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Topeka by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 3,220 $27,300 $13.13
Registered Nurses 3,170 $78,870 $37.92
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 3,070 $30,530 $14.68
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2,610 $38,140 $18.34
Cashiers 2,540 $27,460 $13.20
Customer Service Representatives 2,530 $39,870 $19.17
General and Operations Managers 2,520 $81,600 $39.23
Nursing Assistants 2,320 $37,020 $17.80
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,970 $48,250 $23.20
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,970 $36,330 $17.47
Retail Salespersons 1,840 $30,840 $14.83
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1,520 $30,770 n/a
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1,380 $46,300 $22.26
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,370 $32,240 $15.50
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,340 $57,050 $27.43
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 1,320 $59,130 $28.43
Accountants and Auditors 1,300 $72,260 $34.74
Waiters and Waitresses 1,300 $31,580 $15.19
Software Developers 1,220 $102,240 $49.15
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,200 $49,970 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

Topeka pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Topeka?

The median across all occupations is $47,840, or $23.00 an hour, covering 112,540 wage and salary workers. The mean is $58,450, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Topeka pay more than the rest of Kansas?

Yes. The metro median of $47,840 is 2.1% above 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 Topeka?

Sales Managers ($151,580), Financial Managers ($136,100), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($135,970). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Topeka unusually full of?

Food Batchmakers, at 4.85× 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.