Wisconsin Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Wisconsin.
The average salary in Wisconsin is $107,973 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 2 metropolitan areas (Milwaukee, Madison). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $288,412 median; 30 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 101, the average median equates to $106,904 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Wisconsin has 2 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Wisconsin job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Wisconsin
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 550 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($291,000)
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 250 jobs in state · top metro: Milwaukee ($300,470)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 5,060 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($168,900)
Dentist
Healthcare · 1,100 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($176,460)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 2,880 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($158,120)
Financial Manager
Finance · 7,480 jobs in state · top metro: Milwaukee ($156,100)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 160 jobs in state · top metro: Milwaukee ($276,470)
Sales Manager
Management · 4,900 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($146,380)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 1,850 jobs in state · top metro: Madison ($140,680)
Physician Assistant
Healthcare · 1,710 jobs in state · top metro: Milwaukee ($135,040)
Cities in Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI
63 occupations tracked · COL index: 97.4
Madison, WI
63 occupations tracked · COL index: 103.8
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Wisconsin is $107,973 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 2 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $288,412 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Wisconsin, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($288,412), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($277,168), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($165,075), Dentist ($160,977), Pharmacist ($155,199). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/wisconsin.
30 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Wisconsin have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Milwaukee, WI leads Wisconsin with an average median salary of $110,006 across 63 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Wisconsin's tracked metros is 101 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $107,973 translates to $106,904 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Wisconsin, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
126 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.