What does a Welder salary really buy you in Kansas?
Kansas is 10.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.0, meaning prices are 10.0% lower the national average. A Welder earning $49,040 in Kansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $54,488 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) | $37,920 | $42,133 | +$4,213 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $44,420 | $49,355 | +$4,935 |
| Median (P50) | $49,040 | $54,488 | +$5,448 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $58,200 | $64,666 | +$6,466 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $67,450 | $74,944 | +$7,494 |
A Welder in Kansas earns $49,040 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $54,488 in an average-cost state. This makes Kansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Welder salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kansas ranks #28 out of 50 states for Welder after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Welder in Kansas earns a median salary of $49,040 per year. After adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (RPP=90.0), the real purchasing power is $54,488 — 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 Welder in Kansas: $49,040 x (100 / 90.0) = $54,488. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Welder 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.