Report: Tech drives nearly a 10th of Kansas City’s economy (and those employers are hiring)
October 6, 2025 | Startland News Staff
Advocates tout KC for top-tier tech talent; a new report affirms its status as an emerging market with potential for big impact
A combination of economic stability, depth and skill of talent, and operational efficiency creates conditions for companies to grow and succeed in Kansas City, said Kara Lowe, detailing new data that suggests the region is entering a growth phase ripe for tech companies.
“Kansas City’s strength has always come from the ingenuity, resilience and vision of its people,” said Lowe, president and CEO of the KC Tech Council. “In a rapidly evolving industry, that spirit is our constant advantage. Together, we’re not only growing Kansas City’s tech economy — we’re shaping its future.”
The tech council’s latest KC Tech Specs report — a comprehensive, data-driven look at the region’s tech industry — reveals a healthy and encouraging status with expanding opportunities in the bistate business community, she added.
Designed for the entire tech ecosystem, the report aims to inform business leaders, policymakers, educators, civic leaders, and students to help them better understand the region’s momentum and opportunities in tech.
Together, Kansas and Missouri saw the tech industry add an estimated $12.4 billion to the two states’ combined $35.5 billion economic impact, according to the Tech Specs report.
Other indicators of a rapidly growing tech hub, as noted by the report:
- 10.3 percent increase in tech job postings across Kansas and Missouri (2023-2025)
- 4.1 percent growth in tech businesses
- More than 225,000 tech professionals now working in the bistate region
- KC’s 75,000-plus tech professionals make up 6.9 percent of the local workforce, driving 9 percent of the KC economy — outperforming larger metros like Chicago, Nashville, and St. Louis
Click here to access the full Tech Specs report.
KC Tech Specs, v8
“This two-state region presents technology leaders with a compelling environment for steady growth, a well-established and talented workforce, and a mature business ecosystem,” the report says, adding that a competitive cost of living compared to other metros continues to specifically benefit the Kansas City metro area, which ranks as the second-most cost-effective market for technology employment.
The increase in local job postings for tech jobs also reinforces the “critical need to expand and explore nontraditional talent sourcing strategies to develop, attract, grow and retain talent,” the report says. A substantial majority of the metro area’s tech workers (60-70 percent) are young or mid-tier professionals, and total tech jobs in Kansas City actually went down from May 2024 to May 2025, mirroring a larger trend of decreased employment in all industry sectors.
However, the number of opportunities in technology combined with tech council’s resolve to find solutions in a tightened labor market create the overall optimism around the report, Lowe said.
KC Tech Council partnered with RSM US LLP to assemble the Tech Specs report with data from sources including CompTIA, JobsEQ and customized analytics from RSM US LLP.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Poio’s chef-owner lets go of his popular KCK restaurant: ‘I’m still learning how to relax’
Carlos Mortera struggled with the idea of not working all hours of the waking day, he shared, explaining that this subconscious guilt is sometimes known as “immigrant shame.” “Being a first-generation [American], you see all the sacrifices your parents made to get you to this country. Because of their sacrifices, you feel like you should…
Chat GPT isn’t an AI superhero, founder says, but with the right context this new tech can save the day for businesses
An emerging Kansas City entrepreneur hopes to train businesses on how they can harness the power of Chat GPT to gain a competitive advantage, he said. Learning how to effectively utilize Chat GPT — an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI and recently introduced into the market — can benefit all companies by streamlining operations…
KC’s sports business icons joining the roster for Junior Achievement Hall of Fame
A Super Bowl win and the NFL Draft turned Kansas City into a sports haven, said Megan Sturges Stanfield, so it’s only fitting that the latest laureates to join Junior Achievement’s Business Hall of Fame reflect not only a passion for athleticism and their hometown — but translating opportunity into entrepreneurial success. Among the new…
Wave of anti-trans bills in Midwest could turn founders (and their businesses) into political refugees fleeing MO, KS
At 50, Suzanne Wheeler never imagined her government would propose legislation to take her health care away, she shared. In April, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced a plan to issue emergency rules on transgender care. The regulations would make Missouri the first state to severely restrict transgender care for adults, in addition to children.…