It has been estimated that Kansas, the Sunflower State will need 8,000+ LPN’s and 29,000+ RN’s by the year 2016. In 2006, the state legislature passed a $30 million program to address the shortage. This is a ten year program which supports the employment of additional nurse educators, higher faculty wages, and providing Nurse Educator Service Scholarship Grants to nurses who want to become nurse educators. The top three cities in Kansas have median salaries for registered nurses as follows: Wichita $63,657, Kansas City/Overland Park $64,355 and Topeka $60,777.
Five of the top 25 employers in Kansas are hospitals or medical centers. Via Christi Hospital in Wichita is 5th with 5,000 employees, K U Medical Center in Kansas City is 7th with 4,000 employees, Via Christa St, Francis Hospital is 8th with 3,300 employees, Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Shawnee Mission is 13th with 2,800 employees and Stormont-Vail in Topeka is 20th with 2,500 employees.
Kansas Facts & Figures
- 2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.1%
- Unemployment Rank: 12 of 50
- 2011 Per Capita Income: $40, 481
- Per Capita Income Rank: 23 of 50
- 2011 Cost of Living Index: 91.9
- Cost of Living Rank: 9 of 50
Top Three Cities in Kansas
Ten Largest Hospitals in Kansas
- Via Christi Regional Medical Center
- VA Eastern Kansas Health Care
- Wesley Medical Center
- University Of Kansas Medical Center
- Shawnee Mission Medical Center
- Stormont-Vail Healthcare
- Larned State Hospital
- Osawatomie State Hospital
- Community Hospital Onaga
- Salina Regional Health Center