Kansas Skilled Trade Salaries & Job Outlook
Trade Industry Insights / Kansas Skilled Trade Salaries & Job Outlook
Quick Takeaways on Trade Pay in Kansas
Kansas trade work is shaped by infrastructure projects, manufacturing facilities, and service trades supporting commercial and agricultural operations. Formal apprenticeships and licensing often raise earnings potential across key trades.
- Higher-paying paths on this page: Lineworker, CDL Truck Driver, AV Technician.
- Highest-paying trade in Kansas (from this table): Lineworker ($79,509)
- Typical mid-range trade pay: Median across listed trades is about $52,623 per year.
- Pay range across these trades: About $33,562 separates the highest vs lowest listed trades in Kansas.
- Most stable demand in Kansas: utility crews, maintenance teams, and commercial service work tied to essential operations.
- Best way to increase earnings: focus on reliability and coverage—workers who can service multiple systems tend to advance faster.
- Top paying trades on this page: Lineworker ($79,509) · CDL Truck Driver ($66,789) · AV Technician ($61,942)
Job Outlook for Skilled Trades in Kansas
Demand is shaped most by infrastructure networks, regional manufacturing, and service needs spread across wide areas, plus licensing rules, employer mix, and metro growth.
Kansas wages are influenced by apprenticeship access and certification pathways, with incremental skill upgrades often producing noticeable pay jumps.
- Outlook: Stable (infrastructure-supported)
- What drives demand: infrastructure networks, regional manufacturing, and service needs spread across wide areas.
- Where it’s hottest: major metros + fast-growing corridors (varies by trade).
- Biggest pay factors: experience, union coverage, licensing, overtime, and employer type.
Average Skilled Trade Pay in Kansas
Below is a snapshot of typical pay for popular trades in Kansas. Click a trade name to explore training paths, licensing steps, and career details.
Note: Some trades can rank high across many states due to national labor demand and standardized pay structures, but the exact pay levels still vary by state and metro area.
| Trade | Avg Hourly | Avg Weekly | Avg Monthly | Avg Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Technician | $23.93 | $957 | $4,148 | $49,746 |
| AV Technician | $29.78 | $1,191 | $5,162 | $61,942 |
| Carpenter | $23.35 | $934 | $4,047 | $48,568 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $32.11 | $1,284 | $5,566 | $66,789 |
| CNC Machinist | $22.09 | $884 | $3,829 | $45,947 |
| Construction | $23.44 | $937 | $4,063 | $48,755 |
| Concrete Finisher | $25.69 | $1,028 | $4,453 | $53,435 |
| Diesel Technician | $26.71 | $1,068 | $4,630 | $55,557 |
| Electrician | $28.32 | $1,133 | $4,909 | $58,906 |
| Heavy Equipment | $23.15 | $892 | $3,866 | $46,386 |
| HVAC Technician | $26.00 | $1,040 | $4,507 | $54,080 |
| Industrial Mechanic | $25.64 | $1,026 | $4,446 | $53,349 |
| Ironworker | $24.43 | $974 | $4,222 | $50,667 |
| Lineworker | $38.23 | $1,529 | $6,626 | $79,509 |
| Marine Mechanic | $26.56 | $1,063 | $4,602 | $55,169 |
| Mason | $24.95 | $998 | $4,325 | $51,896 |
| Plumber | $30.11 | $1,156 | $5,011 | $60,128 |
| Roofer | $22.69 | $908 | $3,933 | $47,195 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $23.99 | $901 | $3,903 | $46,838 |
| Welder | $22.85 | $902 | $3,907 | $46,888 |
Wage figures are estimates and can vary by experience level, metro area, union status, and employer.
About this table: wage data sources and methodology.
How Easy It Is to Find Trade Jobs in Kansas
Entry difficulty: Moderate, shaped by utility, energy, and manufacturing demand. Kansas offers dependable access to many skilled trades due to its energy infrastructure, manufacturing base, and employer-led hiring culture. While some licensed trades require formal credentials, many industrial and utility-related roles allow workers to enter through direct employer training and on-the-job experience.
Rather than being driven by dense urban construction or short-term development cycles, Kansas’s trade demand is tied to systems that must operate continuously. Power generation facilities, wind energy sites, manufacturing plants, and transportation infrastructure all require ongoing maintenance and skilled labor regardless of housing market conditions. This supports steady hiring for electricians, industrial mechanics, welders, HVAC technicians, and maintenance trades across the state.
Because many of these facilities are spread across rural and regional areas, employers often prioritize reliability, safety awareness, and long-term availability. Kansas’s lower cost of living and widespread employer-sponsored training make it easier for entry-level workers to gain experience without relocating or taking on significant upfront education costs.
What Actually Drives Trade Hiring in Kansas
- Utility and energy infrastructure over new builds: Power generation, transmission, and wind energy facilities rely on full-time electrical and mechanical teams to maintain uptime.
- Employer-based training pipelines: Utilities and manufacturers frequently hire entry-level workers and advance them internally through hands-on training.
- Manufacturing and aerospace supply chains: Production facilities require skilled trades for equipment maintenance, retrofits, and compliance-driven upgrades.
- Transportation and logistics infrastructure: Rail, highway, and distribution facilities depend on electricians, mechanics, and facility maintenance trades.
Where Trade Jobs Are Concentrated — and Why
- Kansas City metro area: Utilities, logistics hubs, and manufacturing support services create consistent demand for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and maintenance trades.
- Wichita: Aerospace manufacturing and supplier networks support steady hiring for industrial, mechanical, and precision trades.
- Energy and agricultural corridors: Power generation sites, wind farms, and processing facilities across the state sustain long-term demand for skilled maintenance roles.
Manufacturing and Infrastructure Anchors
Rather than relying on short-term construction booms, Kansas’s trade workforce is supported by permanent energy, manufacturing, and transportation systems that require uninterrupted operation:
- Power generation and wind energy facilities — Continuous need for industrial electricians, maintenance technicians, and mechanical trades.
- Aerospace and manufacturing plants — Long-term demand for welding, electrical, and mechanical maintenance roles.
- Transportation and logistics infrastructure — Facility maintenance and equipment repair support ongoing operations.
How Trade Workers Actually Get Hired in Kansas
In Kansas, trade jobs are most commonly secured through employer hiring tied directly to utility, energy, and manufacturing operations:
- Direct plant and utility hiring: Energy providers and manufacturers frequently bring on entry-level workers and train them internally.
- Technical college pipelines: Community and technical programs often feed graduates into industrial maintenance and mechanical roles.
- Registered apprenticeships: Common in electrical, mechanical, and utility-related trades, particularly in energy and manufacturing hubs.
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