BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Kansas
Kansas falls 41st among 50 states for mechanic pay. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $47,790 a year, $2,830 below the national median of $50,620, and 6,240 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. The wider gap is between trades: aircraft mechanics reach $80,270, 68 percent ahead of automotive technicians.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 41st of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $47,790 against $50,620 nationally.
- $80,270 for aircraft mechanics, 68 percent over automotive technicians.
- 15 ranked programs, led by Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita, KS.
Aircraft Mechanics Out-Earn Auto Mechanics by $32,480 in Kansas
The top trade, aircraft mechanics, pays $80,270 with 1,440 jobs behind it, $32,480 more than the $47,790 automotive median. Automotive technicians sit last of 5.
| Trade | Kansas median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $80,270 | $79,870 | 22nd | 1,440 | Kansas City, MO-KS, $71,080 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $60,890 | $65,510 | 43rd | 1,690 | Kansas City, MO-KS, $63,850 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $59,460 | $61,770 | 33rd | 3,300 | Topeka, KS, $66,500 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $48,920 | $54,890 | 41st | 1,530 | Kansas City, MO-KS, $60,540 |
| Auto Mechanic | $47,790 | $50,620 | 41st | 6,240 | Kansas City, MO-KS, $53,790 |
Heavy equipment mechanics ($60,890, -$4,620), diesel mechanics ($59,460, -$2,310) and collision repair technicians ($48,920, -$5,970) make less than their counterparts nationwide.
Near their national medians: aircraft mechanics ($80,270, +$400).
Heavy equipment mechanics are 43rd of 50 states at $60,890, the trade that trails other states most.
In Kansas City, MO-KS, aircraft mechanics reach $71,080, the best metro figure for the trade in Kansas.
Kansas City, MO-KS Leads Mechanic Pay in Kansas
Of 7 metropolitan areas, Kansas City, MO-KS is biggest: 5,380 jobs, a $53,790 median, $6,000 over the $47,790 figure for Kansas.
Kansas City, MO-KS is both the biggest and the best-paying area at $53,790; Joplin, MO-KS is $7,470 lower at $46,320, counting areas with 500 or more jobs.
Kansas nonmetropolitan area, outside any metropolitan area, counts 2,000 jobs (32 percent) at $46,790, -$1,000 against the state.
3 of the 7 areas, led by Kansas City, MO-KS, extend into MO and carry one figure for the whole area.
| Area | Median | Against Kansas | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $53,790 | +$6,000 | $36,030 to $80,850 | 5,380 |
| Wichita, KS | $47,800 | +$10 | $31,350 to $74,030 | 1,330 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $46,320 | -$1,470 | $30,350 to $72,860 | 590 |
| Topeka, KS | $48,320 | +$530 | $35,870 to $76,150 | 510 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $47,180 | -$610 | $31,640 to $75,920 | 330 |
| Lawrence, KS | $47,880 | +$90 | $33,250 to $77,710 | 240 |
| Manhattan, KS | $44,410 | -$3,380 | $30,440 to $74,400 | 240 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,790 | -$1,000 | $30,240 to $70,170 | 2,000 |
15 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Kansas
Kansas has 15 ranked programs at 12 schools: 11 automotive, 1 diesel, 1 collision repair and 2 aviation maintenance. The top scorer is Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita, KS at 71.7 out of 100 in aviation maintenance.
Among 15 priced programs the range is $2,424 a year, in-district at Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, KS) to $17,852 for the 17-month program at Fort Hays State University-Northwest Kansas Technical College (Goodland, KS).
Kansas City Kansas Community College sits in Kansas City, MO-KS, the best-paying area for mechanics at $53,790.
- Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita, KS, aviation maintenance, score 71.7, #2 of 148
- Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita, KS, automotive, score 69.2, #11 of 415
- Flint Hills Technical College Emporia, KS, automotive, score 59.2, #94 of 415
- Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS, automotive, score 58.8, #99 of 415
- Fort Hays State University-Northwest Kansas Technical College Goodland, KS, diesel, score 57.5, #34 of 76
- Manhattan Area Technical College Manhattan, KS, automotive, score 53.1, #183 of 415
- Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City, KS, automotive, score 52.4, #193 of 415
- Kansas State University Manhattan, KS, aviation maintenance, score 52.1, #76 of 148
- Washburn Institute of Technology Topeka, KS, automotive, score 49.7, #230 of 415
- Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS, automotive, score 49.5, #232 of 415
- Coffeyville Community College Coffeyville, KS, automotive, score 48.5, #252 of 415
- Pratt Community College Pratt, KS, automotive, score 46.8, #283 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in Kansas, with 15 programs ranked in the state
Mechanic Salary in Kansas Runs $2,830 Below the National Median
The bottom tenth makes $31,970 or less, $2,690 below the nation and the top tenth earns $77,340 or more, $4,450 below the nation. The $45,370 spread across the pay scale nearly matches the national spread. Kansas ranks 43rd of 50 states at the 90th percentile.
| Measure | Kansas | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,970 | $34,660 | -$2,690 |
| 25th percentile | $38,150 | $38,900 | -$750 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,790 | $50,620 | -$2,830 |
| 75th percentile | $63,000 | $70,430 | -$7,430 |
| 90th percentile | $77,340 | $81,790 | -$4,450 |
| Mean | $52,760 | $56,420 | -$3,660 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 6,240 | 704,640 |
Pay for the middle half runs $38,150 to $63,000, behind the national middle half at both edges (-$750 and -$7,430).
The $52,760 mean sits $4,970 above the median, lifted by top earners.
$31,970, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire makes.
Where 6,240 Mechanics Work in Kansas
The technician share is 4.3 per 1,000 jobs, within 4 percent of the national rate (location quotient 0.96). That puts Kansas 34th among 50 states on concentration.
By concentration diesel mechanics lead at 1.23 on 3,300 jobs, while auto mechanics sit lowest at 0.96.
Kansas Between South Carolina and New Mexico on Mechanic Pay
South Carolina is the closest, $48,100 ($310 more); New Mexico is farther down at $47,300, $490 away.
19 other states land within $2,500 of $47,790, 8 within $1,000. Rank changes fast in this stretch.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Kansas
What is the mechanic salary in Kansas?
The median is $47,790 per year, or $22.98 an hour, which is $2,830 below the nation. Pay runs $31,970 to $77,340 from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
How much more do aircraft mechanics earn than auto mechanics in Kansas?
$32,480 more at the median, $80,270 compared with $47,790 for auto mechanics in the OEWS count.
Which mechanic school in Kansas ranks highest?
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita, KS, scoring 71.7, from 15 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in Kansas for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Kansas
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.