High paying jobs in Appleton, WI

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Appleton, WI. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Appleton, WI run 7.6% below the national average (2024), so a Appleton, WI salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Appleton, WI

OccupationMedian, Appleton, WI · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$406,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$233,340 – $593,020160
2Dentists, General$206,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,410 – $293,050130
3Chief Executives$201,300
Bachelor's degree
$117,710 – $420,840230
4Optometrists$150,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,610 – $208,39060
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$149,070
Bachelor's degree
$99,750 – $216,310230
6Pharmacists$144,630
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,810 – $175,340190
7Sales Managers$138,850
Bachelor's degree
$77,350 – $238,530420
8Education Administrators, Postsecondary$135,690
Master's degree
$82,400 – $183,72050
9Financial Managers$134,990
Bachelor's degree
$80,360 – $220,040580
10Architectural and Engineering Managers$134,430
Bachelor's degree
$97,030 – $201,870200
11Computer Network Architects$129,410
Bachelor's degree
$70,720 – $175,89060
12Nurse Practitioners$129,030
Master's degree
$103,710 – $166,400150
13Marketing Managers$128,360
Bachelor's degree
$79,320 – $212,750160
14Physician Assistants$128,270
Master's degree
$107,340 – $173,160120
15Human Resources Managers$126,580
Bachelor's degree
$85,070 – $194,370120
16Lawyers$126,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,400 – $384,850250
17Purchasing Managers$123,490
Bachelor's degree
$83,710 – $218,45060
18Construction Managers$122,710
Bachelor's degree
$82,360 – $169,700460
19Medical and Health Services Managers$122,660
Bachelor's degree
$81,620 – $208,490170
20Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$118,390
Master's degree
$84,440 – $131,850170
21Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$117,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,340 – $205,61060
22Sales Engineers$116,570
Bachelor's degree
$74,860 – $173,26060
23Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$110,990
Bachelor's degree
$87,780 – $147,75040
24General and Operations Managers$109,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,740 – $231,4201,640
25Industrial Production Managers$108,680
Bachelor's degree
$78,210 – $173,270540
26Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$107,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $115,490160
27Environmental Engineers$107,170
Bachelor's degree
$74,320 – $164,25060
28Facilities Managers$106,090
Bachelor's degree
$72,730 – $150,34060
29Veterinarians$105,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,980 – $155,680100
30Managers, All Other$104,660
Bachelor's degree
$58,300 – $191,910450
31Data Scientists$103,210
Bachelor's degree
$76,030 – $151,27090
32Software Developers$102,970
Bachelor's degree
$67,410 – $164,080570
33Administrative Services Managers$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$65,990 – $155,010170
34Physical Therapists$101,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,530 – $121,420180
35Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,700
Associate's degree
$83,100 – $117,67080
36Electrical Engineers$101,670
Bachelor's degree
$73,270 – $129,940190
37Chiropractors$101,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,060 – $223,31060
38Computer Systems Analysts$101,360
Bachelor's degree
$73,630 – $127,940270
39Management Analysts$99,060
Bachelor's degree
$62,030 – $159,750300
40First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$98,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,870 – $122,2201,060
41Project Management Specialists$98,290
Bachelor's degree
$60,650 – $130,860970
42Labor Relations Specialists$97,750
Bachelor's degree
$49,540 – $152,430120
43First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$97,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$95,300 – $121,430120
44Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$96,900
Bachelor's degree
$81,200 – $155,550180
45Business Teachers, Postsecondary$96,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,100 – $124,13070
46Dental Hygienists$96,350
Associate's degree
$80,820 – $101,250240
47Insurance Underwriters$95,610
Bachelor's degree
$61,060 – $126,400120
48Industrial Engineers$95,380
Bachelor's degree
$69,380 – $131,130440
49Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$94,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,530 – $94,47050
50Structural Iron and Steel Workers$93,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,700 – $93,96080

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

#	Occupation	MedianAppleton, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$406,080	$233,340 – $593,020	160
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$206,650	$122,410 – $293,050	130
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$201,300	$117,710 – $420,840	230
4	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$150,060	$73,610 – $208,390	60
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$149,070	$99,750 – $216,310	230
6	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$144,630	$107,810 – $175,340	190
7	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,850	$77,350 – $238,530	420
8	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$135,690	$82,400 – $183,720	50
9	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,990	$80,360 – $220,040	580
10	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,430	$97,030 – $201,870	200
11	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$129,410	$70,720 – $175,890	60
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,030	$103,710 – $166,400	150
13	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$128,360	$79,320 – $212,750	160
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,270	$107,340 – $173,160	120
15	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,580	$85,070 – $194,370	120
16	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,390	$76,400 – $384,850	250
17	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,490	$83,710 – $218,450	60
18	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,710	$82,360 – $169,700	460
19	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,660	$81,620 – $208,490	170
20	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$118,390	$84,440 – $131,850	170
21	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$117,750	$75,340 – $205,610	60
22	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$116,570	$74,860 – $173,260	60
23	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$110,990	$87,780 – $147,750	40
24	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,890	$58,740 – $231,420	1,640
25	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,680	$78,210 – $173,270	540
26	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,370	$50,510 – $115,490	160
27	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,170	$74,320 – $164,250	60
28	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,090	$72,730 – $150,340	60
29	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$105,800	$80,980 – $155,680	100
30	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$104,660	$58,300 – $191,910	450
31	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$103,210	$76,030 – $151,270	90
32	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,970	$67,410 – $164,080	570
33	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,070	$65,990 – $155,010	170
34	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,920	$78,530 – $121,420	180
35	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,700	$83,100 – $117,670	80
36	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,670	$73,270 – $129,940	190
37	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,410	$69,060 – $223,310	60
38	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,360	$73,630 – $127,940	270
39	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$99,060	$62,030 – $159,750	300
40	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,970	$60,870 – $122,220	1,060
41	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,290	$60,650 – $130,860	970
42	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,750	$49,540 – $152,430	120
43	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,020	$95,300 – $121,430	120
44	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$96,900	$81,200 – $155,550	180
45	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$96,680	$83,100 – $124,130	70
46	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,350	$80,820 – $101,250	240
47	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$95,610	$61,060 – $126,400	120
48	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,380	$69,380 – $131,130	440
49	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,470	$78,530 – $94,470	50
50	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,960	$60,700 – $93,960	80

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Appleton, 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 Appleton, WI to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Appleton, WI

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