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TOPEKA – According to the Kansas Wage Survey 2009 Edition, the 10 highest paying jobs in the state are all health care related. Surgeons top the list at an average hourly rate of $104.56, surpassing the national average hourly wage for the same occupation, which falls at $99.41. Average occupational wages from across Kansas are among the statistics found in the annual Kansas Wage Survey, produced by the Kansas Occupational Employment Statistics program at the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. KDOL announced the release of the 2009 Edition of the Wage Survey today. The survey, which includes data from 2008, measures occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm industries. Approximately 5,000 employers are surveyed each year through a semiannual mail survey. The occupations making up the top 10 wage earners in the state are:
The lowest paying occupations in Kansas are counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession and coffee shop workers at $7.56 an hour. Seven of the 10 lowest paid occupations in Kansas were in the food preparation and serving related group. Overall, wages in Kansas increased from 2007 to 2008, with the average hourly wage rising from $17.45 to $18.10. This remains $2.22 less than the 2008 national average hourly wage of $20.32. Average Kansas wages fall in the midpoint among other states in the region. Kansas has a higher average hourly wage than Nebraska and Oklahoma, but less than Missouri and Colorado. Within the state, geography plays a role in a worker’s rate of pay. For instance, the survey found that physical therapists have an average hourly wage of $34.70 in the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA); $32.40 in the Kansas City geographic area; $31.63 in the Kansas City MSA; $26.98 in the Topeka MSA; $28.15 in the Lawrence MSA and $35.28 in the balance of the state. Also detailed in the survey are occupations with the highest rate of employment. In 2008, retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, office clerks and registered nurses were among the occupations with the highest estimated employment. More information regarding the Kansas Wage Survey can be found on the KDOL Labor Market Information Web site at http://www.dol.ks.gov/LMIS/wagesurvey/ws2009/wagesurvey_2009.html. The wage survey data is now available through the new Labor Market Information System called Kansas Labor Information Center (KLIC). Within the KLIC system, customers can create customizable reports and get county-level data free of charge. Previously, county-level reports required specialized software and had a fee attached to them. With KLIC, customers can view wages and estimated employment for any county in Kansas. Additional national information can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site at http://www.bls.gov/oes/. Kansas Department of Labor News Room Kansas Department of Labor News Room Archive
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