Average Salaries in Wisconsin
Explore salaries across 739 occupations in Wisconsin. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $71.8K, +9.1% 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 2025 estimates. Coverage: 739 occupations and 2,917,050 total jobs in Wisconsin.
How the state compares
Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. 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 Wisconsin
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.
Highest-paid occupations in Wisconsin
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $636.6K | 200 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $572.1K | 290 |
| Anesthesiologists | $444K | 790 |
| Dermatologists | $440.7K | 160 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $416K | 550 |
| Radiologists | $392.6K | 980 |
| Physicians, All Other | $391.7K | 6,350 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $367.2K | 1,450 |
| Neurologists | $342.5K | 130 |
| Psychiatrists | $331.1K | 550 |
Largest occupations in Wisconsin
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 82,430 | $36.3K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 70,520 | $44.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 68,060 | $95.5K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 67,750 | $28.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 67,640 | $34.5K |
| Cashiers | 65,380 | $30.9K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 53,330 | $58.6K |
| Office Clerks, General | 51,440 | $45K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 50,840 | $47K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 47,580 | $35K |
What Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Wisconsin
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Patternmakers, Metal And Plastic | 8.42 | $52.2K |
| Print Binding And Finishing Workers | 5.67 | $43.4K |
| Food Batchmakers | 5.46 | $48.4K |
| Foundry Mold And Coremakers | 5.27 | $44.1K |
| Animal Scientists | 4.75 | $84.3K |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 4.68 | $58.1K |
| Farm And Home Management Educators | 4.34 | $60.9K |
| Pourers And Casters, Metal | 3.67 | $47.9K |
| Shoe And Leather Workers And Repairers | 3.25 | $44K |
| Molding, Coremaking, And Casting Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 3.02 | $44.2K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Wisconsin
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Wisconsin
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $71.5K | 802,840 |
| Madison, WI | $72.5K | 400,630 |
| Green Bay, WI | $65.7K | 167,250 |
| Appleton, WI | $65.4K | 118,390 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $68.2K | 86,490 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $65.2K | 80,110 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $65.6K | 78,450 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $66.2K | 70,190 |
| Kenosha, WI | $68.4K | 69,720 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $63.5K | 64,590 |
Common salary questions for Wisconsin
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 states 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.