Food Jobs & Pay in Kansas
About 144,730 people in Kansas work in food-related jobs. Median pay by occupation, with the national median in the last column.
Restaurants & service
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 47,140 | $27,580 | $21,620 – $34,280 | $31,200 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,480 | $36,120 | $17,370 – $62,890 | $35,230 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 11,620 | $35,130 | $26,120 – $44,540 | $37,390 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 10,520 | $38,220 | $28,680 – $60,050 | $44,080 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 7,680 | $30,280 | $22,880 – $39,220 | $35,320 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 7,570 | $31,950 | $25,440 – $42,000 | $37,450 |
| Bartenders | 5,430 | $27,940 | $17,150 – $66,010 | $34,340 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 4,540 | $28,110 | $18,040 – $39,040 | $31,200 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 2,960 | $26,300 | $17,120 – $38,050 | $33,980 |
| Dishwashers | 2,480 | $28,060 | $20,150 – $38,580 | $34,810 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,610 | $28,640 | $22,480 – $38,680 | $30,890 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 1,270 | $29,040 | $21,770 – $35,250 | $35,360 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 860 | $58,390 | $36,540 – $89,990 | $62,470 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 640 | $27,400 | $24,110 – $36,570 | $35,880 |
Food processing
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 5,000 | $48,080 | $39,660 – $59,250 | $38,300 |
| Food Batchmakers | 3,230 | $42,850 | $32,000 – $62,350 | $42,290 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 2,170 | $48,240 | $39,180 – $57,660 | $40,130 |
| Bakers | 1,370 | $34,300 | $27,410 – $45,740 | $37,160 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | 1,200 | $37,320 | $28,330 – $52,800 | $40,140 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 750 | $45,850 | $33,330 – $50,030 | $41,590 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 560 | $46,060 | $37,480 – $48,830 | $39,680 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | 220 | $44,550 | $37,080 – $47,130 | $44,810 |
Farm & field
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | 1,340 | $37,060 | $29,130 – $47,590 | $36,670 |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 900 | $37,020 | $28,440 – $46,980 | $35,660 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 670 | $45,570 | $38,120 – $57,340 | $41,730 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | 190 | $51,630 | $37,600 – $75,360 | $49,940 |
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 160 | $38,170 | $24,860 – $54,680 | $35,730 |
| Agricultural Workers, All Other | 90 | — | — | $39,850 |
Science & nutrition
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 580 | $66,830 | $56,320 – $90,310 | $76,400 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 380 | $85,130 | $51,670 – $146,820 | $88,720 |
| Food Science Technicians | 60 | $39,930 | $33,390 – $71,320 | $52,130 |
Management
| Job | Workers | Median pay | Typical range (10th–90th) | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | 1,540 | $70,320 | $46,190 – $103,340 | $69,390 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 480 | $52,870 | $42,610 – $82,680 | $60,220 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 40 | $102,490 | $60,340 – $199,990 | $89,900 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, most recent annual estimate. Some occupations are suppressed in smaller states and are omitted. Median pay is the middle of the wage distribution; employment counts exclude the self-employed. Labour-market data, not job listings.