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What does a Economists salary really buy you in Kansas?
Kansas is 10.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.0, meaning prices are 10.0% lower the national average. A Economists earning $138,790 in Kansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $154,211 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) | $67,610 | $75,122 | +$7,512 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $117,810 | $130,900 | +$13,090 |
| Median (P50) | $138,790 | $154,211 | +$15,421 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $205,780 | $228,644 | +$22,864 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $238,990 | $265,544 | +$26,554 |
A Economists in Kansas earns $138,790 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $154,211 in an average-cost state. This makes Kansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 90.0 means a basket of goods and services costs about 10.0% less than the national average. For a Economists, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $138,790 for Kansas's cost of living yields $154,211 — a 11.1% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Economists, Kansas places #2 of 40 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Economists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kansas ranks #2 out of 40 states for Economists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Economists take-home pay in Kansas after taxes →
A Economists in Kansas earns a median salary of $138,790 per year. After adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (RPP=90.0), the real purchasing power is $154,211 — 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 Economists in Kansas: $138,790 x (100 / 90.0) = $154,211. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Economists 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.
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