Average Salaries in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Explore salaries across 608 occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $66.4K, +7.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 608 occupations and 808,080 total jobs in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
How the metro compares
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is a mid-sized metro labor market.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Pediatricians, General. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatricians, General | $239.1K | 80 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $232.5K | 30 |
| Physicians, All Other | $218.5K | 2,680 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $214.7K | 110 |
| Physicists | $196.7K | 80 |
| Dentists, General | $181.4K | 600 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $160.5K | 2,160 |
| Commercial Pilots | $158.3K | 300 |
| Compensation And Benefits Managers | $157.0K | 170 |
| Podiatrists | $156.0K | 70 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 29,420 | $32.9K |
| Registered Nurses | 21,950 | $84.0K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 21,800 | $42.0K |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,360 | $33.7K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 17,010 | $28.2K |
| Cashiers | 16,970 | $29.4K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 15,890 | $47.2K |
| Office Clerks, General | 14,900 | $42.9K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 12,750 | $36.1K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 11,680 | $33.9K |
What Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Print Binding And Finishing Workers | 7.07 | $39.4K |
| Shoe And Leather Workers And Repairers | 5.61 | $42.5K |
| Psychologists, All Other | 4.00 | $107.6K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | 3.80 | $64.5K |
| Etchers And Engravers | 3.66 | $42.1K |
| Tool And Die Makers | 3.62 | $67.5K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 3.46 | $57.7K |
| Foundry Mold And Coremakers | 3.21 | $45.5K |
| Electrical, Electronic, And Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, And Finishers | 3.05 | $46.1K |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 3.01 | $47.8K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.