Statewide pay Government data
Industrial machinery mechanics in Kansas earn a statewide median of $65,830 a year, 3% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #25 of 50 states and DC. About 7,700 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Kansas
See all states on the industrial machinery mechanic overview.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes industrial machinery mechanic pay for 4 Kansas metros: Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka and Wichita.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| WichitaKANSAS · KS | $83,540 | $93,922 | 2,470 |
| TopekaKANSAS · KS | $70,650 | $79,543 | 360 |
| LawrenceKANSAS · KS | $66,010 | $73,147 | 160 |
| ManhattanKANSAS · KS | $62,910 | $69,774 | 180 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Kansas's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 17.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 44,400 openings a year. Typical training: long-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, industrial machinery mechanics have 54 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 38% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often industrial machinery mechanics deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes medium preparation (vocational training or an apprenticeship, often 1–2+ years).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of industrial machinery mechanic apprentices in Kansas who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 58% completed (U.S.: 66%), about 8 graduates a year. The typical program runs 4,000 hours, about 2 years of full-time work.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Where to train in Kansas Government data
5 schools in Kansas offer heavy and industrial equipment maintenance programs below the bachelor's level. Many people in this trade learn through an apprenticeship instead; a program can shorten it or get you hired as a helper.
| School | Credential | Yearly cost | Recent grads | First-year pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washburn Institute of Technology Topeka, KS · Public | Certificate | $18,739 | 19 | — |
| Garden City Community College Garden City, KS · Public | Certificate | $13,880 | 10 | — |
| Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita, KS · Public | Certificate | $18,414 | 8 | — |
| Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita, KS · Public | Associate degree | $18,414 | 7 | — |
| Garden City Community College Garden City, KS · Public | Associate degree | $13,880 | 0 | — |
| Neosho County Community College Chanute, KS · Public | Certificate | $17,284 | 0 | — |
| Washburn University Topeka, KS · Public | Certificate | $21,099 | — | — |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (data updated October 2026). Cost is the school's average yearly cost of attendance before financial aid; earnings are the median for graduates one year after finishing, shown only where the school has enough graduates to publish. “—” means not published.
Licensing in Kansas Official source
Kansas licenses most trades at the city or county level. Check with the building or licensing office where you plan to work.
Requirements for industrial machinery mechanics vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 6.2% of wage and salary workers in Kansas were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#32 of 51 states and D.C.), and 9.0% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only industrial machinery mechanics.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in Kansas
All trades in Kansas.