The Kansas Department of Labor 2019 Kansas Wage Survey is now available online, the department announced last week. The survey is sample-based and asks employers to provide data regarding occupational employment and wages for their establishment. 

The results detail estimated wage (annual and/or hourly) and employment data for most occupations in the state, its metro areas and designated non-metro areas. Data for all 105 counties are available.

It looked at as many as 200 individual professions in each county. The pay is broken down by averages, means, entry levels, experienced, and by various percentile levels from the 10th to the 90th.

The average hourly wage in Kansas increased by 34 cents over the year from $21.43 per hour in 2018 to $21.77 per hour in 2019. A quick glance puts Barton County near state averages in most categories.

 Here are some highlights from the 2019 Kansas Wage Survey:

• Management was the highest paid occupational group. Anesthesiologist is the highest paid occupation at an average of $140.42 per hour. The national average for this occupation is $128.38 per hour.

• Eight of the top ten highest paid occupations were in the healthcare field. Nine of the ten lowest paid occupations were in the food preparation and serving related group.

• The top five occupational groups with the highest employment for Kansas were: office and administrative support, sales and related, food preparation and service related, production, and transportation and material moving. 

• The top five specific occupations with highest employment were: retail salespersons, combined food preparation and serving workers (including fast food), customer service representatives, cashiers, and secretaries and administrative assistants, (except legal, medical and executive). 

In Kansas as a whole, the numbers look like this:

Employment: 1,375,380

• Mean (average) hourly: $21.77

• Mean annual: $45,277

• Entry level hourly: $10.33

• Entry level annual: $21,481

• Experienced level hourly: $27.49

• Experienced level annual: $57,175

In Barton County, the numbers are:

• Employment: $11,940

• Mean (average) hourly: $19.58

• Mean annual: $40,726

• Entry level hourly: $10.36

• Entry level annual: $21,549

• Experienced level hourly: $24.19

• Experienced level annual: $50,315 

Lisa Trammel, KDOL Occupational Statistics Supervisor, praised the Kansas employers for participating. The Kansas Department of Labor would like to extend appreciation to the Kansas employers who submitted their occupational employment information to make this report possible, she said. The high quality of the data could not be achieved without their cooperation and effort. 

 To view the entire 2019 Kansas Wage Survey go to klic.dol.ks.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=768. For specific requests, email kdol.laborstats@ks.gov.