Cost of hiring in Lawrence, KS
BLS counts about 5,490 people in these 13 roles in Lawrence1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($93,420 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($35,410), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 1,230 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lawrence
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +12.0% | 360 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.2% | 270 | |
| Office Manager | -4.4% | 360 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.7% | 630 | |
| Accountant | -5.5% | 400 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.8% | 260 | |
| Project Coordinator | -8.7% | 150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.3% | 1,230 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.4% | 140 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -14.9% | 260 | |
| Recruiter | -15.6% | 230 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -15.6% | 1,090 | |
| Paralegal | -16.5% | 110 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $42,630 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $55,006 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lawrence against the US
Lawrence pays above the US median for only one of the 13 roles, sales development representatives (+12.0%), and below it for 12, furthest for paralegals (-16.5%). The middle gap across all 13 is -8.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #17 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for customer support specialists, #384 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lawrence has more administrative assistants (22.4% of these jobs here, against 11.1% nationally) and bookkeepers (11.5% against 8.9%), and fewer project coordinators (2.7% against 6.9%) and office managers (6.6% against 9.3%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Decatur, IL is nearest, at -8.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | -8.6% | 16 | 57,280 |
| Decatur, IL | -8.6% | 14 | 3,000 |
| Lawrence, KS | -8.7% (this area) | 13 | 5,490 |
| Casper, WY | -8.8% | 13 | 3,000 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -8.8% | 15 | 5,340 |
| Salisbury, MD | -8.8% | 15 | 5,870 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Lawrence span $37,750–$143,140, the widest band (3.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $37,740–$46,730. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 13 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives, project coordinators and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($79,190 against a $67,060 median for marketing specialists).
Lawrence against Kansas
Against Kansas as a whole, Lawrence pays more for 5 of 13 roles, led by sales development representatives (+25.3%) and office managers (+3.9%), and less for 6, most of all recruiters (-9.5%). It has the highest median in Kansas for sales development representatives, marketing specialists and office managers and 2 more roles.
Other areas in Kansas
By jobs in these roles, Lawrence is #5 of 5 areas in Kansas. The table shows the other 4.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | 34,600 | 17 |
| Wichita, KS | 32,410 | 17 |
| Topeka, KS | 14,100 | 17 |
| Manhattan, KS | 5,610 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Lawrence?
Of the 13 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $93,420 a year, about $120,542 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,410.
Is hiring in Lawrence cheaper than the US median?
For 12 of the 13 roles, yes, most of all paralegals (-16.5%). One pays more than the US median: sales development representatives (+12.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.