Come for the job, build the career.
By Addie Linn and Laura Phillips
With a mix of thriving industries and talented professionals, KC empowers global leaders, creative dreamers and cutting-edge businesses to take flight.
Talent Finds a Home Here
Working in Kansas City comes with a unique set of advantages. A diverse industry makeup that closely mirrors that of the U.S. overall means a stable economy and freedom to grow beyond your current role. Combine that with an unemployment rate that’s consistently at or below the U.S. average, and you have a recipe for a fulfilling lifelong career with an abundance of opportunities.
CoworkingCafe cites KC as the No. 3 best city for working moms. Thanks to factors like lower cost-of-living and an average commute time of just 23.3 minutes, families can settle, thrive and grow within the region.
Kansas City consistently ranks as a top city for millennial and Gen Z workers. This is unsurprising, considering there’s no shortage of opportunities for early-career professionals to bolster their resume or expand their professional circle. Access to non-profit board leadership, professional trade associations and social networking events is unrivaled.
Panasonic
Connected at the Core
Smack-dab in the heartland, KC is the center of industry and innovation in North America.
At the crossroads of the nation’s transportation network, KC’s superior access to road, rail, air and river transportation allows companies to reach 90% of the contiguous U.S. in two days or less. Top brands, including Panasonic and Nuuly, have taken note, strategically harnessing KC’s prime location to easily access suppliers and customers.
Fueling continued growth across the region, KC’s manufacturing and logistics sectors boast a workforce of 200,000 people, with more on the way.
At the Forefront of Technology
Aptly dubbed “silicon prairie,” KC has emerged as a star in the technology economy. In fact, one in 10 employees is a tech worker, making the sector one of Kansas City’s largest economic pillars.
Home to both nimble startups and legacy brands, KC’s tech scene boasts some big names. Google, H&R Block and T-Mobile — to name a few. As a leading global provider of financial technology solutions, Fiserv’s recent decision to establish a new strategic fintech hub in Overland Park, KS, further proves the region is ripe for innovation.
Digital health — the use of information technology to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes — has a long legacy in KC, where companies including Garmin, Netsmart and WellSky are all headquartered here.
Shaping a Healthier Future
The Kansas City region is home to one of the nation’s most dynamic healthcare communities. Anchored by nationally ranked institutions such as The University of Kansas Health System, Children’s Mercy Kansas City and AdventHealth, the region not only attracts top talent but also gives residents access to world-class care close to home.
KC’s bioscience strength extends beyond hospitals. KCAS Bio provides advanced laboratory analysis that powers the development of life-saving therapies, while research leaders such as MRIGlobal are solving some of the world’s most pressing scientific problems.
And it’s not just about humans. The KC Animal Health Corridor — an area stretching from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri — represents more than 50% of global animal health and nutrition sales. Here, a robust network of manufacturers, researchers and educators is tackling challenges ranging from preventing zoonotic diseases to ensuring global food safety and security. The region is also home to the first BSL-4 laboratory in the U.S. capable of housing large livestock, allowing scientists to safely study and diagnose a variety of high-consequence animal pathogens.
Zahner
Designing the World Around Us
From user experience to urban infrastructure, Kansas City’s designers, engineers and creators are shaping the way people live, work and connect.
With more than 1,200 firms in the region, the architecture, engineering and construction industry is a powerhouse. KC professionals pioneered the sustain¬ability-focused Green Revolution and are leading the way in the development of power and telecommunication systems.
Sports architecture is another KC specialty. Nearly half of the world’s major sports venues originate here and, KC firms were key to the design of 13 of 16 FIFA World Cup 26™ stadiums.
But design in Kansas City goes beyond the built environment. The greeting card you mailed your grandma last week? Likely created by an artist at Hallmark, headquartered here since 1910. The sleek website you just browsed? Quite possibly crafted by the experts at VML, one of the world’s largest marketing agencies.
Together, KC’s web of creative and professional services firms showcases the caliber of innovation and imagination that flows from this region — design that doesn’t just stay local, but shapes the world.