High paying jobs in Madison, WI

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Madison, 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 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

1Emergency Medicine Physicians$340,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,030 – $436,410170
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$329,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,160 – $420,040270
3Physicians, All Other$301,940
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,650 – $460,070850
4Psychiatrists$296,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,220 – $453,440160
5Family Medicine Physicians$291,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,400 – $360,140160
6Nurse Anesthetists$283,980
Master's degree
$223,690 – $324,990150
7Chief Executives$217,010
Bachelor's degree
$122,970 – $402,710900
8Dentists, General$176,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$126,510 – $305,240270
9Computer and Information Systems Managers$168,900
Bachelor's degree
$98,520 – $275,6902,540
10Architectural and Engineering Managers$160,700
Bachelor's degree
$118,940 – $211,280750
11Pharmacists$158,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,140 – $169,9801,120
12Database Architects$155,160
Bachelor's degree
$97,490 – $162,550170
13Financial Managers$148,970
Bachelor's degree
$83,830 – $253,8002,320
14Sales Managers$146,380
Bachelor's degree
$78,740 – $247,2701,660
15Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$142,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,510 – $218,860210
16Human Resources Managers$140,680
Bachelor's degree
$92,950 – $206,920660
17Marketing Managers$138,270
Bachelor's degree
$94,470 – $204,4101,000
18Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,420 – $224,260340
19Business Teachers, Postsecondary$137,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,770 – $332,780270
20Natural Sciences Managers$136,990
Bachelor's degree
$99,250 – $204,030530
21Computer Network Architects$135,490
Bachelor's degree
$87,710 – $187,280340
22Actuaries$135,330
Bachelor's degree
$81,140 – $216,530170
23Physician Assistants$133,950
Master's degree
$57,980 – $164,900490
24Nurse Practitioners$133,080
Master's degree
$108,360 – $167,330530
25Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$132,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,640 – $227,840210
26Medical and Health Services Managers$131,640
Bachelor's degree
$96,110 – $224,3901,220
27Software Developers$130,630
Bachelor's degree
$82,790 – $171,2906,720
28Managers, All Other$129,330
Bachelor's degree
$74,070 – $203,7802,590
29Industrial Production Managers$127,020
Bachelor's degree
$83,350 – $208,3101,450
30General and Operations Managers$126,620
Bachelor's degree
$63,380 – $257,4805,130
31Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$126,320
Master's degree
$93,310 – $163,660440
32Purchasing Managers$126,170
Bachelor's degree
$89,540 – $206,890190
33Personal Financial Advisors$126,000
Bachelor's degree
$52,490 – $507,290590
34Lawyers$124,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,040 – $365,5101,860
35Sales Engineers$119,900
Bachelor's degree
$87,930 – $154,990200
36Construction Managers$119,840
Bachelor's degree
$77,540 – $174,130860
37Facilities Managers$118,990
Bachelor's degree
$74,030 – $171,070250
38Public Relations Managers$117,120
Bachelor's degree
$81,510 – $192,420270
39First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,810 – $138,420230
40Veterinarians$115,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,080 – $161,870420
41Administrative Services Managers$112,280
Bachelor's degree
$81,780 – $165,8401,240
42Engineers, All Other$110,360
Bachelor's degree
$86,260 – $150,970230
43Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$107,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,940 – $170,370250
44Biochemists and Biophysicists$106,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,730 – $158,820150
45Database Administrators$105,680
Bachelor's degree
$67,470 – $132,910410
46Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$104,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,080 – $173,040190
47Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$104,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $121,000360
48English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$104,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,920 – $166,230150
49Information Security Analysts$104,110
Bachelor's degree
$69,070 – $163,380410
50Urban and Regional Planners$103,940
Master's degree
$62,380 – $131,450140

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	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$340,150	$78,030 – $436,410	170
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$329,670	$74,160 – $420,040	270
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$301,940	$81,650 – $460,070	850
4	PsychiatristsDoctoral or professional degree	$296,230	$76,220 – $453,440	160
5	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$291,000	$114,400 – $360,140	160
6	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$283,980	$223,690 – $324,990	150
7	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$217,010	$122,970 – $402,710	900
8	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$176,460	$126,510 – $305,240	270
9	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$168,900	$98,520 – $275,690	2,540
10	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$160,700	$118,940 – $211,280	750
11	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$158,120	$112,140 – $169,980	1,120
12	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$155,160	$97,490 – $162,550	170
13	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,970	$83,830 – $253,800	2,320
14	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$146,380	$78,740 – $247,270	1,660
15	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$142,490	$74,510 – $218,860	210
16	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$140,680	$92,950 – $206,920	660
17	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,270	$94,470 – $204,410	1,000
18	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,840	$83,420 – $224,260	340
19	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,060	$78,770 – $332,780	270
20	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,990	$99,250 – $204,030	530
21	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$135,490	$87,710 – $187,280	340
22	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$135,330	$81,140 – $216,530	170
23	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,950	$57,980 – $164,900	490
24	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$133,080	$108,360 – $167,330	530
25	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$132,100	$60,640 – $227,840	210
26	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,640	$96,110 – $224,390	1,220
27	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,630	$82,790 – $171,290	6,720
28	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,330	$74,070 – $203,780	2,590
29	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,020	$83,350 – $208,310	1,450
30	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,620	$63,380 – $257,480	5,130
31	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$126,320	$93,310 – $163,660	440
32	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,170	$89,540 – $206,890	190
33	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$126,000	$52,490 – $507,290	590
34	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,130	$77,040 – $365,510	1,860
35	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,900	$87,930 – $154,990	200
36	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,840	$77,540 – $174,130	860
37	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,990	$74,030 – $171,070	250
38	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,120	$81,510 – $192,420	270
39	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,080	$80,810 – $138,420	230
40	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$115,210	$82,080 – $161,870	420
41	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,280	$81,780 – $165,840	1,240
42	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,360	$86,260 – $150,970	230
43	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$107,480	$79,940 – $170,370	250
44	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,480	$85,730 – $158,820	150
45	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,680	$67,470 – $132,910	410
46	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$104,760	$52,080 – $173,040	190
47	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,220	$47,600 – $121,000	360
48	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,190	$57,920 – $166,230	150
49	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,110	$69,070 – $163,380	410
50	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$103,940	$62,380 – $131,450	140

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 jobs in Madison, WI

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