Electrician Salary in Kansas: What Electricians Earn in the Sunflower State

Key Takeaways

• Kansas electricians earn a median salary of approximately $55,000-$62,000/yr, near the national median of $62,350/yr according to the BLS.
• Wichita and Kansas City (KS) offer the highest electrician wages in the state, driven by aerospace, manufacturing, and commercial construction.
• Kansas requires a journeyman or master electrician license from the Kansas Department of Labor.
• Electrician employment is projected to grow 9% nationally from 2024 to 2034, with Kansas benefiting from wind energy and industrial growth.
• Kansas is a national leader in wind energy production, creating strong demand for electricians with renewable energy expertise.
• IBEW apprenticeship programs in Kansas provide structured training, competitive wages, and full benefits packages for enrolled apprentices.

Electrician Salary in Kansas: What Electricians Earn in the Sunflower State

Kansas may not be the first state that comes to mind for high-wage trades careers, but the Sunflower State offers electricians a genuinely solid market with wages that closely track the national median and a cost of living that makes those wages go further than in many other states. Kansas's diverse economic base - spanning aerospace manufacturing in Wichita, agricultural processing throughout the state, renewable wind energy development across the plains, and steady commercial construction in the Kansas City metro - provides electricians with a variety of work environments and career paths to choose from throughout their professional lives.

The state's extraordinary commitment to wind energy has been particularly transformative for the electrical trade in Kansas. With wind turbines dotting the landscape from the Flint Hills to the Oklahoma border, Kansas consistently ranks among the top five wind energy states in the nation, creating substantial and ongoing demand for electricians who understand substation work, high-voltage transmission lines, and wind turbine electrical systems. This renewable energy boom, combined with traditional industrial and commercial electrical demand, gives Kansas electricians access to a more dynamic and diverse job market than the state's rural reputation might suggest.

Average Electrician Salary in Kansas

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median annual wage for electricians is $62,350. Kansas electricians earn wages that somewhat closely track that national benchmark, with the Wichita and Kansas City metro areas offering the strongest compensation in the state.

• Entry-Level (0-2 years): $30,000 - $38,000/yr - apprentices and helpers gaining foundational electrical skills on residential and commercial job sites
• Journeyman (3-5 years): $46,000 - $57,000/yr - licensed journeymen working independently on a range of residential, commercial, and light industrial projects
• Experienced Journeyman (5-10 years): $54,000 - $65,000/yr - skilled workers with specialty experience in industrial, commercial, or renewable energy sectors
• Master Electrician (10+ years): $63,000 - $78,000/yr - licensed masters who can supervise crews and operate their own electrical contracting businesses
• Electrical Contractor / Business Owner: $72,000 - $100,000+/yr - business owners running established contracting firms serving multiple market segments

Electrician Salary by City in Kansas

• Wichita: $57,000 - $68,000/yr - state's largest city with aerospace manufacturing, commercial construction, and industrial electrical work
• Kansas City (KS): $58,000 - $72,000/yr - cross-border metro wages boosted by Missouri side activity and major commercial development
• Topeka: $52,000 - $63,000/yr - state capital with government facilities, healthcare, and commercial construction
• Overland Park: $56,000 - $68,000/yr - major suburban commercial center with strong office and retail construction activity
• Lawrence: $52,000 - $63,000/yr - university town with institutional and residential electrical work
• Salina: $48,000 - $58,000/yr - regional hub with manufacturing, agricultural processing, and commercial work in central Kansas

Kansas vs. Neighboring States

• Missouri: $56,000 - $68,000/yr - similar wages with higher end in St. Louis and Kansas City
• Oklahoma: $52,000 - $64,000/yr - comparable wages with oil/gas premium in some markets
• Colorado: $68,000 - $78,000/yr - higher wages reflecting higher cost of living along Front Range
• Nebraska: $55,000 - $66,000/yr - very similar market to Kansas in most respects
• Kansas: $50,000 - $68,000/yr - solid wages with outstanding purchasing power due to low cost of living throughout the state

Electrical License Requirements in Kansas

• Step 1 - Enroll in an Apprenticeship: Join an IBEW JATC or ABC apprenticeship program in Kansas; typical programs run 4-5 years combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction on NEC code and electrical theory
• Step 2 - Accumulate 8,000 Work Hours: Kansas journeyman applicants must document at least 8,000 hours of supervised electrical work experience under a licensed electrician before taking the state exam
• Step 3 - Pass the Kansas Journeyman Exam: Pass the Kansas journeyman electrician examination through the Kansas Department of Labor covering NEC code, safety, and electrical systems knowledge
• Step 4 - Apply for Journeyman License: Submit license application, work hour documentation, and exam results to the Kansas Department of Labor with the appropriate licensing fees
• Step 5 - Work Toward Master License: After 2 additional years as a licensed journeyman, apply to take the Kansas master electrician examination for the highest level of state licensure

Top Specialties for Kansas Electricians

• Wind Energy Electrical Systems: Kansas is a top-five wind energy state, creating exceptional demand for electricians trained in wind turbine electrical systems, substations, and high-voltage transmission infrastructure throughout the state
• Aerospace Manufacturing: Wichita's position as a major aerospace manufacturing center creates strong demand for industrial electricians familiar with precision manufacturing environments and specialized equipment
• Agricultural Processing: Kansas's grain elevators, meat packing facilities, and food processing plants require specialized industrial electricians comfortable with large motor controls, conveyors, and food-grade electrical requirements
• Commercial Construction: The Kansas City suburban market and Wichita commercial sector generate consistent demand for commercial electricians with diverse project experience and strong code knowledge
• Oil and Gas: Western Kansas oil fields create periodic demand for field electricians with HazLoc training and experience in pumping station and wellhead electrical systems

Job Outlook for Electricians in Kansas

Kansas electricians face a favorable job market outlook for the coming decade. The BLS projects 9% national growth in electrician employment from 2024 to 2034, and Kansas's position at the center of the national wind energy buildout gives its electricians access to major infrastructure projects that would not exist in most other states. Federal clean energy investment is funding new transmission lines, substations, and wind farm electrical infrastructure throughout Kansas that will require thousands of electrician-hours over the coming years.

Kansas's aerospace sector - centered in Wichita but extending to manufacturing facilities throughout the state - also provides a stable and relatively recession-resistant base of industrial electrical work. Companies like Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Boeing provide consistent employment for industrial electricians who develop expertise in aerospace manufacturing environments. Combined with normal commercial and residential electrical demand from Kansas's steady if slow-growing population, the state's electricians face a reasonably positive employment outlook with good opportunities for advancement and specialization throughout the coming decade.

Is Becoming an Electrician in Kansas Worth It?

For Kansans who enjoy technical work, the electrical trade offers excellent value as a career choice. Kansas's lower cost of living - particularly outside the Kansas City and Wichita metro areas - means that electrician wages provide strong purchasing power relative to what the same salary would buy in higher-cost states. A licensed journeyman earning $58,000 in Wichita lives comfortably given Kansas housing costs that are among the most affordable in the Midwest, making the effective standard of living for Kansas electricians better than the raw salary figures might suggest.

The apprenticeship pathway to journeyman licensure in Kansas typically takes 4-5 years and results in a credential with zero student loan debt - a significant advantage over four-year college degrees in many fields. Master electricians who establish their own contracting businesses in Kansas often earn $80,000-$100,000 or more annually, particularly those who develop expertise in wind energy or industrial work where project values and margins are higher than standard residential service work. Overall, the electrical trade in Kansas provides a reliable, well-compensated, and genuinely satisfying career path for technically minded individuals.

Where to Find Electrician Training in Kansas

• IBEW Local 226 (Wichita): The primary union apprenticeship program in south-central Kansas, covering residential, commercial, and industrial electrical work with strong union wages and full benefits
• IBEW Local 124 (Kansas City, KS): JATC apprenticeship program serving the Kansas City metro area on both the Kansas and Missouri sides of the border
• Wichita Area Technical College (WATC): Electrical technology programs in Wichita providing an affordable entry into the electrical trade with strong local employer connections
• Butler Community College (El Dorado): Electrical and industrial programs serving south-central Kansas with affordable community college tuition rates and flexible scheduling
• Manhattan Area Technical College: Trades and technology programs serving the north-central Kansas region including electrical fundamentals and apprenticeship preparation courses

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Kansas require an electrician license? Yes. Kansas requires electricians to hold a journeyman or master electrician license issued by the Kansas Department of Labor to perform independent electrical work on commercial and industrial projects. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements, and residential work may be covered under different local permits depending on the municipality.

How does Kansas's wind energy boom affect electrician jobs? Kansas's position as a top-five wind energy state has created substantial additional demand for electricians who specialize in high-voltage electrical systems, substation work, and wind turbine electrical infrastructure. These positions typically pay $10,000-$20,000 more than standard commercial electrician wages and represent some of the most exciting and well-compensated work available in the state.

What is the cost of living advantage for Kansas electricians? Kansas consistently ranks among the most affordable states in the country for housing and overall living costs. An electrician earning $60,000 in Wichita or Topeka has significantly higher purchasing power than a counterpart earning the same amount in Denver, Seattle, or any major coastal city, making Kansas one of the strongest value propositions for electricians who prioritize quality of life alongside career earnings.