Established as a trading post in the 1860s, Wichita is located in south-central Kansas on the banks of the Arkansas River. It offers economical living and a Midwest feel.
The city and the surrounding metro area have 18 acute-care facilities and hospitals, with HCA Healthcare and Ascension Health being a few of the major players in town. Healthcare is the second biggest sector for employment, making this a great destination if you’re looking for nursing jobs in Wichita, KS.
The area is also home to 11 colleges and universities. Among them is the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, lauded as one of the top 10 schools in the U.S. for family practice physicians. It also has a robust nursing program with several offerings:
- Accelerated BSN
- Traditional BSN
- RN to BSN
- Nursing Education MSN
- Leadership and Administration MSN
The Midwest might be the perfect spot for you to start shopping for nursing jobs. Wichita, KS, is a good starting point for your search. Let’s take a virtual tour to see what catches your eye.
Quick Facts About Nursing Jobs in Wichita, KS
- Is Kansas a compact state? Yes
- What do RNs earn in Wichita? The average annual salary for RN jobs in Wichita is $68,800 compared to the national average RN salary of $89,010.
- Where can I find information about RN license requirements in Kansas? You can visit the
- Kansas Board of Nursing website for up-to-date information.
What to Know When Pursuing Nursing Jobs in Wichita, KS
Wichita is a mid-sized city that’s an excellent place for anyone who likes outdoor sports, museums, galleries, and art.
You’ll find nursing jobs in Wichita, KS, including full-time, part-time, contract, temporary, and per diem positions. Hiring managers in hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities are looking for qualified RNs, CNAs, and LPNs like you.
Here’s a snapshot of your potential patient base. The median age in Wichita is 34.5, with a population of 394,574. A little over 14% of residents are ages 65 and older. The percentage of disabled residents under age 65 is 11.4%.
Working in Wichita
The total number of Wichita healthcare workers totals 31,690, with 18,050 in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations. In that category, you’ll find 6,220 RNs and 1,420 LPNs.
Those in healthcare support jobs total 13,640. This includes 5,760 home health and personal care aides and 4,240 nursing assistants.
Listed by their rank according to patient recommendations, the best hospitals in the city are:
- Summit Surgical
- Kansas Surgery and Recovery Center
- Kansas Heart Hospital
- Mercy Hospital
- Kingman Healthcare Center
The Sedgwick County Health Department is also a source for nursing jobs in Wichita, KS. It operates three clinics — the 9th St. Clinic, Main Clinic, and WIC Clinic — as well as mobile clinics throughout the county. You’ll also find 19 skilled nursing facilities as possible sources of nursing jobs in Wichita, KS.
When planning a route to work, consider that the average commute time in Wichita is 18.2 minutes versus the national average of 26.4 minutes. Most workers drive their own car (84.4%), 8.7% carpool, and only 0.7% use mass transit. The remaining 3.1% work from home.
The Kansas Division of Public Health offers an online report of licensed child care facility inspection results to help you choose childcare for your family. You can also get childcare resources through the Child Care Aware program.
Will you need someone to care for your four-footed friends while you work? There are plenty of choices in Wichita, such as Rover and BringFido.
Living in Wichita
When it comes time to settle into a home or apartment, check out the five distinct districts of Wichita.
Delano is one of the city’s oldest areas. The center of town used to be the main road for cattle drives. That road is now lined with restaurants and businesses.
Downtown is the place for entertainment, with theaters, art galleries, and the best restaurants.
Old Town is east of downtown, where you’ll find brick-lined streets and businesses in converted warehouse spaces.
Douglas Design District is a mix of design-related businesses and residential spaces. Buildings are adorned with murals.
River District is where the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers converge. You’ll find many of the city’s museums here.
When it comes to local eats, Wichita has some very unique hometown dishes. You might not understand why your chili comes with a cinnamon roll. It’s a Wichita thing. Your chicken noodle soup will come on top of mashed potatoes. You can also order a Bierock. It’s a pocket of dough filled with hamburger, shredded cabbage, and onions. The dish was brought to Wichita by German immigrants decades ago.
The Wichita Art Museum is one of the largest art museums in Kansas, with pieces by Dale Chihuly, Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper, John Steuart Curry, Winslow Homer, and Charles M. Russell. The city is also home to the Ulrich Museum of Art. Housed on the Wichita State University campus, it has more than 6,000 works of modern and contemporary art. The campus is also decorated with more than 70 sculptures in the Ulrich collection.
You’ll also find several galleries devoted to art glass, an alley turned into an art gallery, and the All-Indian Museum.
You can skip the huge airports and fly into Wichita via the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. It has 33 flights daily on six airlines and was rated third best small airport in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards in 2020. Getting to downtown Wichita from the airport is a quick nine minutes and costs $16 to $20 by taxi.
There are some fun day trips near Wichita. The three-hour drive to Kansas City is worth experiencing the Taco Trail with its 50 taquerias. Just two hours away in Wamego, you can find the nine-mile road to Oz, which ends at the Oz Museum. Suppose you’re looking for outdoor adventure, head north for two hours to Manhattan, Kansas. Spend the day hiking the Pillsbury Crossing Wildlife Area, viewing the waterfall, and kayaking.
Wichita is a city of extreme weather. Expect hot, humid summers and very cold, snowy, and windy winters. The most pleasant time of year is mid-May to early October.
Wichita’s living cost is 8.9% lower than the U.S. average. The average home price is $320,917 compared to the national average of $440,300. Renters in the city also benefit from an average apartment rental of $993, which is 29% lower than the national average.
Nursing Jobs in Wichita, KS, are Waiting for You on IntelyCare
If you’re looking for RN, LPN, and CNA jobs, you’ve come to the right place. Start your IntelyCare application today, and see how well a flexible schedule will fit your life.