Highest-paying management jobs for people in Wichita
Managers are the glue holding companies and organizations together. At the executive level, managers are responsible for overall strategy and improving the bottom line. At lower levels, managers make decisions, build relationships, help customers, and lead teams to complete projects.
Effective managers need a wide array of skills. They must be versatile enough to adapt to new initiatives, market changes, and technology. Good communication is also essential to work with customers and team members, and leadership and project management skills drive better results for the organization.
People drawn to this role often enjoy setting goals and working with others to achieve them. Many get satisfaction from mentoring others and helping them grow to the best of their abilities.
As companies grow, more layers of management are often added to streamline productivity and oversee different teams. Depending on a manager's capabilities, teams can range from a few people to 15 or more. However, some companies believe that too much bureaucracy can slow output, leading to managerial cuts. In 2023, managers and executives accounted for half of all layoffs, according to Live Data Technologies. Amazon and United Parcel Service contributed to the trend, eliminating thousands of management jobs in 2024.
Organizational flattening may make headlines, but having a good manager can go a long way toward keeping workers motivated and projects on track. A 2021 Gallup report found that managerial quality is responsible for 70% of a team's engagement level, meaning that the right leader can make a profound impact on an organization.
As vital as managers are, compensation for these jobs varies by industry. Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying management jobs in Wichita. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#28. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: Not available
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare
- Median annual wage: $48,330
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $49,550
- Median hourly wage: $23.82
- Total employment: 740 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Legislators
- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 500 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 340 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $96,600
- Median hourly wage: $46.44
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $103,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $107,230
- Median hourly wage: $51.55
- Total employment: 210 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,780
- Median hourly wage: $51.82
- Total employment: 310 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $122,180
- Median hourly wage: $58.74
- Total employment: 500 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $135,420
- Median hourly wage: $65.11
- Total employment: 760 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $142,400
- Median hourly wage: $68.46
- Total employment: 930 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $144,660
- Median hourly wage: $69.55
- Total employment: 510 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $148,030
- Median hourly wage: $71.17
- Total employment: 300 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $179,740
- Median hourly wage: $86.41
- Total employment: 440 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
© Stacker Media, LLC.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 7:08 AM.