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What does a Waiters and Waitresses 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 Waiters and Waitresses earning $36,120 in Kansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $40,133 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) | $17,370 | $19,300 | +$1,930 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $26,830 | $29,811 | +$2,981 |
| Median (P50) | $36,120 | $40,133 | +$4,013 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $47,690 | $52,988 | +$5,298 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $62,890 | $69,877 | +$6,987 |
A Waiters and Waitresses in Kansas earns $36,120 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $40,133 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 Waiters and Waitresses, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $36,120 for Kansas's cost of living yields $40,133 — 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.
Kansas sits at #14 of 51 states for Waiters and Waitresses COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does Waiters and Waitresses salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kansas ranks #14 out of 51 states for Waiters and Waitresses after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Waiters and Waitresses take-home pay in Kansas after taxes →
A Waiters and Waitresses in Kansas earns a median salary of $36,120 per year. After adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (RPP=90.0), the real purchasing power is $40,133 — 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 Waiters and Waitresses in Kansas: $36,120 x (100 / 90.0) = $40,133. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Waiters and Waitresses 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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