High paying entry level jobs in Madison, WI

These occupations in Madison, WI ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Madison, WI run 2.7% below the national average (2024), so a Madison, WI salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Madison, WI

OccupationMedian, Madison, WI · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$283,980
Master's degree
$223,690 – $324,990150
2Dentists, General$176,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$126,510 – $305,240270
3Pharmacists$158,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,140 – $169,9801,120
4Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$142,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,510 – $218,860210
5Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,420 – $224,260340
6Business Teachers, Postsecondary$137,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,770 – $332,780270
7Physician Assistants$133,950
Master's degree
$57,980 – $164,900490
8Nurse Practitioners$133,080
Master's degree
$108,360 – $167,330530
9Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$132,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,640 – $227,840210
10Software Developers$130,630
Bachelor's degree
$82,790 – $171,2906,720
11Lawyers$124,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,040 – $365,5101,860
12Veterinarians$115,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,080 – $161,870420
13Engineers, All Other$110,360
Bachelor's degree
$86,260 – $150,970230
14Biochemists and Biophysicists$106,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,730 – $158,820150
15Database Administrators$105,680
Bachelor's degree
$67,470 – $132,910410
16Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$104,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,080 – $173,040190
17English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$104,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,920 – $166,230150
18Urban and Regional Planners$103,940
Master's degree
$62,380 – $131,450140
19Financial and Investment Analysts$103,750
Bachelor's degree
$63,150 – $182,4801,010
20Physical Therapists$102,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,340 – $123,220900
21Electrical Engineers$102,420
Bachelor's degree
$77,860 – $155,490500
22Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,960
Associate's degree
$97,410 – $127,240210
23Registered Nurses$101,190
Bachelor's degree
$81,760 – $123,24010,650
24Computer Systems Analysts$100,550
Bachelor's degree
$66,700 – $132,1802,140
25Industrial Engineers$100,370
Bachelor's degree
$74,190 – $155,3501,510
26Dental Hygienists$100,340
Associate's degree
$83,660 – $105,440680
27Mechanical Engineers$99,680
Bachelor's degree
$76,040 – $133,820770
28Civil Engineers$99,010
Bachelor's degree
$72,980 – $134,0401,530
29Project Management Specialists$98,990
Bachelor's degree
$61,040 – $136,6904,280
30Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$98,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,700 – $173,740240
31Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$98,530
Associate's degree
$50,600 – $128,450270
32Computer Occupations, All Other$97,950
Bachelor's degree
$64,480 – $133,4501,460
33Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,840
Bachelor's degree
$64,080 – $165,2901,470
34Computer Programmers$97,410
Bachelor's degree
$64,860 – $163,490280
35Occupational Therapists$95,670
Master's degree
$74,480 – $115,610610
36Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,580
Bachelor's degree
$61,370 – $131,8901,230
37Environmental Engineers$90,560
Bachelor's degree
$75,770 – $137,720160
38Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$88,830
Bachelor's degree
$56,220 – $109,250140
39Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$86,650
Bachelor's degree
$64,990 – $130,720340
40Budget Analysts$86,340
Bachelor's degree
$73,920 – $114,820280
41Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$85,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,850 – $133,7701,920
42Conservation Scientists$85,110
Bachelor's degree
$50,750 – $105,100260
43Animal Scientists$84,310
Bachelor's degree
$57,400 – $170,450220
44Web Developers$83,500
Bachelor's degree
$51,480 – $128,660230
45Chiropractors$83,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,550 – $165,940150
46Social Workers, All Other$81,890
Bachelor's degree
$55,120 – $104,210370
47Respiratory Therapists$81,530
Associate's degree
$75,960 – $100,320350
48Accountants and Auditors$81,130
Bachelor's degree
$60,770 – $122,9304,440
49Web and Digital Interface Designers$81,080
Bachelor's degree
$57,800 – $121,140200
50Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,920
Associate's degree
$62,230 – $99,720770

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMadison, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$283,980	$223,690 – $324,990	150
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$176,460	$126,510 – $305,240	270
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$158,120	$112,140 – $169,980	1,120
4	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$142,490	$74,510 – $218,860	210
5	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,840	$83,420 – $224,260	340
6	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,060	$78,770 – $332,780	270
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,950	$57,980 – $164,900	490
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$133,080	$108,360 – $167,330	530
9	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$132,100	$60,640 – $227,840	210
10	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,630	$82,790 – $171,290	6,720
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,130	$77,040 – $365,510	1,860
12	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$115,210	$82,080 – $161,870	420
13	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,360	$86,260 – $150,970	230
14	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,480	$85,730 – $158,820	150
15	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,680	$67,470 – $132,910	410
16	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$104,760	$52,080 – $173,040	190
17	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,190	$57,920 – $166,230	150
18	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$103,940	$62,380 – $131,450	140
19	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,750	$63,150 – $182,480	1,010
20	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$102,810	$80,340 – $123,220	900
21	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,420	$77,860 – $155,490	500
22	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,960	$97,410 – $127,240	210
23	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$101,190	$81,760 – $123,240	10,650
24	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$100,550	$66,700 – $132,180	2,140
25	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,370	$74,190 – $155,350	1,510
26	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,340	$83,660 – $105,440	680
27	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,680	$76,040 – $133,820	770
28	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,010	$72,980 – $134,040	1,530
29	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,990	$61,040 – $136,690	4,280
30	Agricultural Sciences Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$98,920	$77,700 – $173,740	240
31	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$98,530	$50,600 – $128,450	270
32	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,950	$64,480 – $133,450	1,460
33	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,840	$64,080 – $165,290	1,470
34	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$97,410	$64,860 – $163,490	280
35	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,670	$74,480 – $115,610	610
36	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,580	$61,370 – $131,890	1,230
37	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$90,560	$75,770 – $137,720	160
38	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,830	$56,220 – $109,250	140
39	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$86,650	$64,990 – $130,720	340
40	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,340	$73,920 – $114,820	280
41	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$85,570	$62,850 – $133,770	1,920
42	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$85,110	$50,750 – $105,100	260
43	Animal ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,310	$57,400 – $170,450	220
44	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$83,500	$51,480 – $128,660	230
45	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,020	$59,550 – $165,940	150
46	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,890	$55,120 – $104,210	370
47	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,530	$75,960 – $100,320	350
48	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$81,130	$60,770 – $122,930	4,440
49	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$81,080	$57,800 – $121,140	200
50	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,920	$62,230 – $99,720	770

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Madison, WI. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Madison, WI to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Madison, WI

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