Taxi Drivers Salary
In Kansas City, MO-KS, taxi drivers earn $38,020 at the median, or about $18.28 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $41,085 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,358/month, about 52.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About taxi drivers
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What this looks like in Kansas City
Taxi drivers pay in Kansas City tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,358/month, which is 51.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for taxi drivers in metros near Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $37K | $35K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level taxi drivers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $4K spread from bottom to top.
Taxi Drivers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Taxi Drivers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $49K | +16% | 460 |
| Nevada | $45K | +6% | 2,980 |
| Colorado | $43K | +3% | 60 |
| New York | $42K | -1% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $42K | -1% | 80 |
| California | $39K | -7% | 3,880 |
| Missouri | $38K | -11% | 200 |
| Oregon | $37K | -12% | 240 |
| Maine | $37K | -12% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -12% | 120 |
| Maryland | $37K | -12% | 50 |
| Illinois | $37K | -13% | 190 |
| Michigan | $37K | -13% | 90 |
| Utah | $36K | -14% | 110 |
| Arizona | $36K | -14% | 950 |
| Minnesota | $36K | -15% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -16% | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | -16% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $34K | -20% | 150 |
| Georgia | $33K | -21% | 120 |
| Virginia | $28K | -32% | 190 |
| Florida | $28K | -33% | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $28K | -34% | 880 |
| Kansas | $27K | -36% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track taxi drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas City numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a taxi driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 51.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for taxi drivers in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new taxi drivers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,020/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is taxi driver a high-paying job in Kansas City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for taxi drivers?
Kansas City pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do taxi drivers make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $38,020 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,670, and experienced taxi drivers can clear $38,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,631/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 51.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a taxi drivers salary go in Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median taxi drivers salary is worth about $41,085 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do taxi drivers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.