Salary comparison
Industrial Machinery Mechanics: Wichita vs Duluth
Wichita, KS pays about 0.2% more for industrial machinery mechanics on paper — $83,540 vs $83,380. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Wichita comes out ahead by $160 a year in real buying power.
Wichita, KS
$83,540
$63,410
$83,790
$40.17
100
$83,540/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Duluth, MN
$83,380
$81,310
$83,510
$40.09
100
$83,380/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $160 a year (0.2%) in favor of Wichita. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Wichita runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Duluth sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Wichita is the better deal by $160 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Duluth to Wichita for this role, the raise needs to beat 0.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do industrial machinery mechanics earn more, Wichita or Duluth?
Wichita pays $83,540 on median — about 0.2% more than Duluth ($83,380). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Wichita. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Wichita gives you roughly$83,540 of real buying power versus $83,380 in the other city.