Kansas
$560
max weekly · rank #22
- Max weeks
- 16
- Max total
- $8,960
Taxed by state
2026Kansas vs Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits
Wisconsin has the higher maximum total by $660. Compare weekly maxima, duration, salary examples, tax treatment, eligibility, and filing considerations for both states.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Higher maximum total
Wisconsin is higher
$9,620 vs $8,960, a $660 difference at the weekly maximum for the full modeled duration.
Side-by-side unemployment benefits scoreboard
Wisconsin
$370
max weekly · rank #41
- Max weeks
- 26
- Max total
- $9,620
Partially taxed by state
Benefit metric comparison
Rankings use published maxima. A higher weekly maximum with a shorter duration can still lose on maximum total benefits.
| Metric | Kansas | Wisconsin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max weekly | $560 | $370 | $190 |
| Min weekly | $122 | $54 | $68 |
| Max weeks | 16 | 26 | 10 |
| Max total | $8,960 | $9,620 | $660 |
| Weekly rank | #22 | #41 | #1 highest |
| State tax on UI | Taxed by state | Partially taxed by state | Federal always |
Kansas leads on maximum weekly benefit by $190.
Estimated weekly benefits at common salary levels
Illustrative estimates assume high-quarter wages ≈ annual salary ÷ 4, then apply the shared high-quarter ÷ 26 approximation clamped to each state's min/max. High earners often hit both caps.
| Scenario | Kansas weekly | Wisconsin weekly | Kansas total | Wisconsin total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 prior salary | $480 | $370 | $7,680 | $9,620 |
| $75,000 prior salary | $560 | $370 | $8,960 | $9,620 |
| $100,000 prior salary | $560 | $370 | $8,960 | $9,620 |
$50,000 prior salary
Kansas$480/wk
Wisconsin$370/wk
$75,000 prior salary
Kansas$560/wk
Wisconsin$370/wk
$100,000 prior salary
Kansas$560/wk
Wisconsin$370/wk
Worked example: $100,000 prior salary
Same high-quarter assumption ($25,000) in both states. The difference comes from each state's min/max clamp and maximum weeks.
How the comparison is built
- 1.Start with the same $25,000 high-quarter wages in both states.
- 2.Estimate raw weekly benefits as $25,000 ÷ 26 ≈ $961.
- 3.Clamp to Kansas's $122–$560 range and Wisconsin's $54–$370 range.
- 4.Multiply by 16 weeks in Kansas and 26 weeks in Wisconsin.
Modeled result
- Kansas weekly / total
- $560 / $8,960
- Wisconsin weekly / total
- $370 / $9,620
- Total difference
- $660
Educational estimate only. Exact agency formulas, dependents, and eligibility can change the result.
State rules explained
Why Kansas and Wisconsin produce different unemployment results
The gap is not only one weekly number. Duration, tax treatment, and eligibility notes can change which state looks better for a given worker.
Kansas rules
Shorter-than-average maximum duration at 16 weeks.
Kansas caps regular UI at 16 weeks.
KS generally taxes unemployment benefits as ordinary state income. Federal income tax also applies.
Typically requires sufficient base-period wages, unemployment through no fault of your own, and that you are able, available, and actively seeking work. Exact monetary and non-monetary rules are set by the state agency. Duration is capped at 16 weeks.
- Max weekly
- $560
- Max weeks
- 16
Wisconsin rules
Wisconsin pays up to $370/week for up to 26 weeks of regular UI.
Weekly benefits are usually based on base-period wages and clamped to the state min/max.
WI partially exempts UI using a fixed-dollar base (historically modeled on older federal rules): roughly half of benefits above $12,000 (single) or $18,000 (married) may be taxed. Confirm current instructions. Federal tax still applies.
Typically requires sufficient base-period wages, unemployment through no fault of your own, and that you are able, available, and actively seeking work. Exact monetary and non-monetary rules are set by the state agency.
- Max weekly
- $370
- Max weeks
- 26
When the higher-benefit state can change
The maximum-total winner is a useful benchmark, not a guarantee for every claimant. Review these factors before concluding that one state always pays more.
Your actual wages
Lower earners may land between each state's min and max. Kansas floors at $122; Wisconsin floors at $54.
Duration vs weekly amount
Kansas models 16 weeks and Wisconsin models 26 weeks. A shorter duration can erase a higher weekly maximum.
Taxes on UI
Federal tax applies in both. State treatment: taxed by state in Kansas vs partially taxed by state in Wisconsin.
Eligibility and disqualifications
Misconduct, quitting without good cause, refusing suitable work, or failing work-search rules can reduce or deny benefits in either state.
Dependents and special allowances
Where published, max WBA may include dependency allowances. Confirm whether your household qualifies.
Part-time earnings
Partial benefits while working can change weekly amounts differently under each state's earnings disregard.
Moving between Kansas and Wisconsin while unemployed
Unemployment claims are generally tied to where you earned covered wages, not only where you live after a layoff. Moving to the higher-maximum state usually does not rewrite the paying state's weekly benefit.
Questions to resolve
- Which state(s) paid your covered wages in the base period—Kansas, Wisconsin, or both?
- Will you file a regular claim, interstate claim, or combined-wage claim?
- Where will you seek work and certify each week?
- Does either state require in-person reporting or local work-search rules after a move?
- How will tax withholding and 1099-G reporting work after relocation?
Practical takeaway
Use this page to compare published maxima and tax treatment. File with the correct paying state agency for an official determination. Interstate claim logistics are handled by the state unemployment systems—not by changing your mailing address alone.
Checklist before comparing a real claim
Confirm base-period wages
Identify which employers and states paid covered wages that Kansas or Wisconsin can count.
Estimate both weekly amounts
Use high-quarter wages in the calculator for each state instead of relying only on the published maximum.
Compare duration and taxes
Model 16 vs 26 weeks and whether state tax applies after federal tax.
Review separation reason
Layoff, discharge, and quit rules differ. A denial in one state does not automatically transfer.
Plan certifications
Weekly or biweekly certifications, work-search logs, and able/available status still control payment.
Keep tax documents
Save claim confirmations and Form 1099-G. Federal tax applies even when a state exempts UI.
Max weekly is a ceiling
Most claimants earn less than $560 in Kansas or $370 in Wisconsin.
Duration multiplies the gap
A 10-week difference can outweigh a modest weekly gap over a full claim.
Federal tax is nationwide
UI is taxable federally in both states. State tax treatment is the variable layer.
Compare a different pair
Compare any two states
Max weekly benefit, duration, total benefits, and state tax treatment.
Related tools
Kansas vs Wisconsin unemployment FAQs
Wisconsin has the higher maximum total benefits by $660. Max weekly amounts are $560 in Kansas and $370 in Wisconsin.
Kansas has the higher maximum weekly benefit by $190.
Kansas models up to 16 weeks and Wisconsin up to 26 weeks. Some states shorten or lengthen duration with the unemployment rate.
Federal income tax applies in both states. State treatment: Kansas — taxed by state; Wisconsin — partially taxed by state. KS generally taxes unemployment benefits as ordinary state income. Federal income tax also applies. WI partially exempts UI using a fixed-dollar base (historically modeled on older federal rules): roughly half of benefits above $12,000 (single) or $18,000 (married) may be taxed. Confirm current instructions. Federal tax still applies.
No. Most claimants receive less than the state maximum. Weekly amounts usually depend on base-period wages and are clamped between the state minimum and maximum.
The modeled gap is $660 ($8,960 vs $9,620).
Claims are generally filed with the state where you earned covered wages. Moving after a layoff usually does not rewrite the paying state's weekly maximum. Interstate and combined-wage claims have separate agency rules.
Both comparisons use a shared high-quarter ÷ 26 approximation clamped to each state's min/max. Kansas clamps between $122 and $560; Wisconsin clamps between $54 and $370.
Wisconsin has the higher modeled maximum total, but eligibility, actual wages, taxes, and living costs still matter.
You generally cannot collect duplicate weeks for the same unemployment from two states at once. Wage credits may be combined across states under combined-wage claim rules when eligible.
Related unemployment benefit comparisons
Estimates are educational. Actual weekly benefits and eligibility are determined by the paying state unemployment agency.