Jobs in Wisconsin — Pay & Openings by City
471,480 professionals employed across 2 major Wisconsin metro areas (BLS OEWS May 2025). Average salary: $52,668/yr. Top hiring industry: Healthcare.
Last updated: 2026-07-23
Top Industries in Wisconsin
Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Government, Education are the largest employment sectors in Wisconsin.
The highest-paying role statewide is typically Operations Manager.
Where you work in Wisconsin changes what the same job pays. Across the roles we track, Madison averages $52,911/yr while Milwaukee averages $52,430/yr — about a 1% gap. Weigh that against commute and cost of living before ruling a metro out.
Jobs in Wisconsin by City
Every metro below shows the average median pay and total employment across the 46 roles we track from BLS OEWS May 2025 data, plus links to the biggest role hubs by employment.
| City | Avg Median Pay | People Employed | Biggest Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $52,430 | 325,210 | Home Health Aide jobs · Registered Nurse jobs · Warehouse Associate jobs |
| Madison | $52,911 | 146,270 | Registered Nurse jobs · Fast Food Worker jobs · Home Health Aide jobs |
This hub links 6 role hubs across 2 Wisconsin metros. Employment = BLS OEWS May 2025, not live openings.
Top-Paying Roles in Wisconsin
State averages across the Wisconsin metros above. Each linked guide breaks the number down city by city and links to live openings you can apply to.
| Role | Wisconsin Average Median |
|---|---|
| Operations Manager salary guide | $126,055 |
| Dental Hygienist salary guide | $99,560 |
| Registered Nurse salary guide | $99,275 |
| Plumber salary guide | $84,930 |
| Logistics Coordinator salary guide | $79,235 |
| Electrician salary guide | $78,115 |
| Sales Representative salary guide | $65,365 |
| Warehouse Supervisor salary guide | $64,260 |
| Carpenter salary guide | $63,695 |
| Diesel Mechanic salary guide | $63,385 |
| HVAC Technician salary guide | $63,040 |
| Auto Mechanic salary guide | $61,590 |
| Bus Driver salary guide | $61,360 |
| Truck Driver salary guide | $59,640 |
| Welder salary guide | $59,460 |
15 of these roles have full salary guides. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.