College degree necessary. This ad may read the same in Kansas City and California. A variety of sources can help make sense of those salary figures. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics gives salary information by area, including the Kansas City region.
States often offer such information as well.
Professional associations and business publications produce salary lists by region and occupation. Most can be obtained through the Internet or by calling the association's headquarters. Gloria Campbell, program director for the Career Center at Johnson County Community College, advises students to use the center's resources. You can also call the human resources department of particular companies you are interested in and ask for salary ranges of particular positions. Books such as The American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, The Occupational Outlook Handbook and Job Hunters Guides have salary information for various cities.