Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Wichita
Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Wichita
Anybody who has taken a course in marketing, psychology or sociology is likely familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. First detailed by psychologist Andrew Maslow in his 1943 work “A Theory of Human Motivation,” the hierarchy breaks down the complex network of human thoughts into a categorical triage, placing self-development at the top and security and physical health at the bottom. In setting up this pyramid, Maslow framed self-recognition and creative development as ultimate goals, while also prioritizing personal safety and strong physical health.
As such, it has never been more important to recognize the health care professionals who work tirelessly to keep the population healthy. In 2019, the United States spent 17.7% of its GDP on health. While it’s encouraging to know that the country is investing in those responsible for maintaining the nation’s well-being, not all health care professionals receive equal compensation.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Wichita, KS using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2019 annual mean wage. Keep reading to see which health care jobs make the most and least in your city.
#43. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $25,940
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,170
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,720
- Employment: 1,419,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($46,170)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,100)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($44,710)
#42. Pharmacy aides
- Annual mean salary: $26,030
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,490
- Employment: 37,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($46,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($46,430)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($42,620)
#41. Orderlies
- Annual mean salary: $26,550
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,710
- Employment: 46,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($51,240)
--- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($49,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,730)
#40. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $26,880
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,180
- Employment: 49,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Savannah, GA ($50,470)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($44,720)
--- Boulder, CO ($41,450)
#39. Opticians, dispensing
- Annual mean salary: $27,970
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,730
- Employment: 72,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Utica-Rome, NY ($70,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($68,970)
--- New Haven, CT ($66,020)
#38. Psychiatric technicians
- Annual mean salary: $29,510
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,550
- Employment: 78,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($72,990)
--- Fresno, CA ($66,710)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($66,290)
#37. Medical assistants
- Annual mean salary: $31,160
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,460
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,720
- Employment: 712,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($49,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($48,920)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,140)
#36. Medical equipment preparers
- Annual mean salary: $31,960
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,530
- Employment: 56,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($63,400)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($61,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,670)
#35. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $32,060
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($76,660)
--- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($57,740)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($50,100)
#34. Recreational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $32,950
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,130
- Employment: 19,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($83,590)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,800)
--- Fresno, CA ($82,170)
#33. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $34,100
- #179 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,250
- Employment: 417,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,090)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($50,790)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($50,070)
#32. Phlebotomists
- Annual mean salary: $34,600
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,480
- Employment: 128,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($58,610)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,040)
--- Redding, CA ($52,310)
#31. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $36,080
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,170
- Employment: 351,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($56,010)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($54,510)
--- Rochester, MN ($53,010)
#30. Medical transcriptionists
- Annual mean salary: $37,420
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,210
- Employment: 55,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($67,840)
--- Amarillo, TX ($56,970)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($54,080)
#29. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $39,440
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- Employment: 107,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($76,930)
--- Yakima, WA ($72,870)
--- College Station-Bryan, TX ($70,090)
#28. Surgical technologists
- Annual mean salary: $40,320
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,110
- Employment: 109,000
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($74,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($72,790)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,750)
#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $44,440
- #240 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,670
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 697,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($69,490)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,160)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($67,990)

#26. Athletic trainers
- Annual mean salary: $49,020
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,540
- Employment: 28,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($73,250)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($66,390)
--- Trenton, NJ ($65,320)
#25. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $49,080
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salem, OR ($106,620)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($103,050)
--- Medford, OR ($82,780)
#24. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $51,610
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($109,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,670)
#23. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $55,530
- #194 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($101,520)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($98,810)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,950)

#22. Chiropractors
- Annual mean salary: $55,740
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $85,010
- Employment: 35,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Toledo, OH ($160,330)
--- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($149,580)
--- Reno, NV ($140,260)
#21. Registered nurses
- Annual mean salary: $57,470
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 6,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,460
- Employment: 2,982,280
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($138,000)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($134,000)
#20. Dietitians and nutritionists
- Annual mean salary: $60,160
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,330
- Employment: 67,670
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($88,350)
--- Salinas, CA ($87,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,890)
#19. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($92,580)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($83,690)
--- Reno, NV ($81,800)
#18. Physical therapist assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,520
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($78,530)
--- Victoria, TX ($78,070)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($75,470)
#17. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $67,270
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($140,150)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($120,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,940)
#16. Radiation therapists
- Annual mean salary: $69,460
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($142,300)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($126,260)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,720)
#15. Speech-language pathologists
- Annual mean salary: $75,810
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,000
- Employment: 154,360
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
--- Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
--- Chico, CA ($104,640)
#14. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $77,820
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($126,850)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,280)
#13. Veterinarians
- Annual mean salary: $81,460
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $104,820
- Employment: 74,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sherman-Denison, TX ($210,960)
--- Lubbock, TX ($176,730)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($161,230)
#12. Occupational therapists
- Annual mean salary: $83,620
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $86,210
- Employment: 133,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,090)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)

#11. Nurse practitioners
- Annual mean salary: $90,060
- #352 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480
National
- Annual mean salary: $111,840
- Employment: 200,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)
#10. Physical therapists
- Annual mean salary: $92,220
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,170
- Employment: 233,350
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)
#9. Physician assistants
- Annual mean salary: $102,180
- #237 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $112,410
- Employment: 120,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($161,370)
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
--- Waterbury, CT ($154,550)

#8. Optometrists
- Annual mean salary: $106,460
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $122,980
- Employment: 39,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Champaign-Urbana, IL ($238,460)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($210,490)
--- Evansville, IN-KY ($183,380)
#7. Pharmacists
- Annual mean salary: $121,980
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $125,510
- Employment: 311,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tyler, TX ($161,790)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)
#6. Pediatricians, general
- Annual mean salary: $139,880
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $184,410
- Employment: 29,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($277,390)
--- Killeen-Temple, TX ($273,770)
--- Chico, CA ($270,550)
#5. Nurse anesthetists
- Annual mean salary: $157,120
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $181,040
- Employment: 43,570
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Toledo, OH ($266,260)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($254,860)
--- Columbus, GA-AL ($247,540)
#4. Obstetricians and gynecologists
- Annual mean salary: $198,160
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $233,610
- Employment: 18,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fayetteville, NC ($284,520)
--- Akron, OH ($282,650)
--- Albuquerque, NM ($281,800)
#3. Family medicine physicians
- Annual mean salary: $200,600
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $213,270
- Employment: 109,370
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Racine, WI ($286,030)
--- Jacksonville, NC ($282,580)
--- Gadsden, AL ($281,430)
#2. Dentists, general
- Annual mean salary: $210,580
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $178,260
- Employment: 110,730
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Burlington, NC ($278,360)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
--- Longview, TX ($272,440)

#1. Surgeons, except ophthalmologists
- Annual mean salary: $240,440
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $252,040
- Employment: 36,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Wausau, WI ($285,230)
--- Oshkosh-Neenah, WI ($285,210)
--- Asheville, NC ($284,780)



