Pay data
Average Salary in Wisconsin (2026)
The average salary in Wisconsin is $64,270 a year and the median is $50,270, 1% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $53,420: 22nd of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 20th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $64,270US $69,770
- Median salary
- $50,270US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $24.17BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 94.1US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Wisconsin?
About the 74th percentile
You earn more than about 74% of workers in Wisconsin.
At Wisconsin prices, $75,000 buys what $79,710 buys at the national average, about the 74th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Wisconsin workers earn
| Percentile | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,980 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,700 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $50,270 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $76,350 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $104,990 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $64,270 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Wisconsin
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Wisconsin sits at 94.1 overall, with housing at 79.3. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $94,100 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items6% below US94.1
- Housing (rents)21% below US79.3
- Goods6% below US94.3
- Utilities10% below US89.9
- Other servicesthe same as US99.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 94.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 79.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 89.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Wisconsin by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $123,350 | -3% | 170,120 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $96,100 | -12% | 81,570 |
| Legal | $88,760 | -13% | 15,670 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $85,940 | -1% | 189,800 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $84,170 | -15% | 50,930 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $78,090 | -6% | 183,430 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $75,520 | -8% | 26,220 |
| Construction and Extraction | $63,660 | +7% | 117,220 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $60,660 | +2% | 113,170 |
| Protective Service | $60,110 | +20% | 54,430 |
| Community and Social Service | $59,970 | +3% | 42,170 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $58,370 | -4% | 163,180 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $57,110 | -9% | 33,750 |
| Production | $48,490 | +3% | 294,570 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $47,560 | 0% | 329,860 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $45,340 | +2% | 274,860 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $42,170 | +15% | 4,990 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,450 | 0% | 148,270 |
| Sales | $38,370 | 0% | 256,830 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $37,700 | 0% | 87,380 |
| Personal Care and Service | $36,010 | -1% | 55,010 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $30,160 | -14% | 248,100 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Wisconsin's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand70,520
- 2Registered Nurse68,060
- 3Fast Food and Counter Worker67,750
- 4Retail Salesperson67,640
- 5Cashier65,380
- 6Truck Driver53,330
- 7Office Clerk, General51,440
- 8Customer Service Representative50,840
- 9Stocker and Order Filler47,580
- 10Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners45,640
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Anesthesiologist$443,990
- 2Radiologist$392,610
- 3Allergist and Immunologist$391,740
- 4General Internal Medicine Physician$367,160
- 5Psychiatrist$331,070
- 6Family Medicine Physician$290,640
- 7Nurse Anesthetist$273,170
- 8Dentist$193,690
- 9IT Manager$160,140
- 10Pharmacist$148,740
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Print Binding and Finishing Worker5.7x
- 2Food Batchmaker5.5x
- 3Foundry Mold and Coremaker5.3x
- 4Paper Goods Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender4.7x
- 5Neuropsychologist3.0x
- 6Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic3.0x
- 7New Accounts Clerk3.0x
- 8Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer3.0x
- 9Printing Press Operator3.0x
- 10Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic2.8x
Cities
Average salary by city in Wisconsin
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | $58,080 | $70,990 | 97.3 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $54,060 | $64,790 | 92.9 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $51,890 | $64,040 | 94.0 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $51,160 | $67,440 | 96.9 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $50,340 | $62,420 | 91.6 |
| Green Bay, WI | $49,940 | $62,790 | 93.1 |
| Appleton, WI | $49,910 | $62,240 | 92.4 |
| Racine, WI | $48,870 | $60,060 | 96.0 |
| Wausau, WI | $48,790 | $60,120 | 92.7 |
| Janesville, WI | $48,390 | $61,110 | 93.7 |
| Kenosha, WI | $48,310 | $60,490 | 101.1 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN | $48,260 | $62,770 | 91.8 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $48,100 | $60,760 | 92.8 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Wisconsin. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Wisconsin: FAQ
What is the average salary in Wisconsin?
The average (mean) annual wage in Wisconsin is $64,270 and the median is $50,270, 1% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 2,941,540 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Wisconsin?
$30.90 an hour on average and $24.17 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Wisconsin?
Above $50,270 out-earns half of Wisconsin workers; the top 25% start at $76,350 and the top 10% at $104,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Wisconsin run 6% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $106,280 buys nationally.
Is Wisconsin expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Wisconsin at 94.1 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 79.3, goods 94.3, utilities 89.9 and other services 99.5. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $94,100 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Wisconsin?
Anesthesiologist ($443,990), Radiologist ($392,610), Allergist and Immunologist ($391,740), General Internal Medicine Physician ($367,160), Psychiatrist ($331,070) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Wisconsin (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Wisconsin?
Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand (70,520), Registered Nurse (68,060), Fast Food and Counter Worker (67,750), Retail Salesperson (67,640), Cashier (65,380) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).