What does a Chefs and Head Cooks salary really buy you in Kansas?
Kansas is 10.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.0, meaning prices are 10.0% lower the national average. A Chefs and Head Cooks earning $53,760 in Kansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $59,733 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Kansas's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $33,290 | $36,988 | +$3,698 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $37,530 | $41,700 | +$4,170 |
| Median (P50) | $53,760 | $59,733 | +$5,973 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $73,030 | $81,144 | +$8,114 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $79,780 | $88,644 | +$8,864 |
A Chefs and Head Cooks in Kansas earns $53,760 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $59,733 in an average-cost state. This makes Kansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Chefs and Head Cooks salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kansas ranks #21 out of 51 states for Chefs and Head Cooks after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Chefs and Head Cooks take-home pay in Kansas after taxes →
A Chefs and Head Cooks in Kansas earns a median salary of $53,760 per year. After adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (RPP=90.0), the real purchasing power is $59,733 — a +11.1% difference.
Kansas's cost of living is 10.0% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Kansas is 90.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Chefs and Head Cooks in Kansas: $53,760 x (100 / 90.0) = $59,733. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Chefs and Head Cooks in Kansas enjoys 11.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.