Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Appleton, WI

Each occupation's median wage in Appleton, WI compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Appleton, WI pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$406,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$233,340 – $593,020+52.7%
2Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$96,900
Bachelor's degree
$81,200 – $155,550+51.8%
3Structural Iron and Steel Workers$93,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,700 – $93,960+49.7%
4Insulation Workers, Mechanical$85,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,340 – $94,680+46.7%
5Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$78,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,780 – $94,160+46.7%
6Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$91,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,910 – $119,880+43.8%
7Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,520 – $99,330+38.7%
8Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$66,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,710 – $69,180+38.2%
9Sewing Machine Operators$48,460
No formal educational credential
$36,400 – $65,110+32.2%
10Sheet Metal Workers$81,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $101,750+31.7%
11Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$61,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,770 – $64,990+29.8%
12Education Administrators, Postsecondary$135,690
Master's degree
$82,400 – $183,720+29.7%
13Millwrights$84,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,580 – $93,660+29.0%
14Brickmasons and Blockmasons$79,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,270 – $97,560+28.6%
15Chiropractors$101,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,060 – $223,310+28.0%
16Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$62,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,020 – $70,580+26.3%
17Construction Laborers$59,260
No formal educational credential
$38,590 – $82,900+25.8%
18Medical Records Specialists$63,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,520 – $69,210+24.2%
19Insurance Sales Agents$77,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,490 – $177,910+24.0%
20First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$98,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,870 – $122,220+23.8%
21Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$55,400
No formal educational credential
$50,750 – $60,740+23.6%
22Highway Maintenance Workers$60,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,460 – $63,720+21.1%
23Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$68,990
No formal educational credential
$49,150 – $98,130+21.0%
24Dentists, General$206,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,410 – $293,050+20.9%
25Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$51,500
Bachelor's degree
$36,470 – $74,100+20.0%
26Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$59,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,710 – $63,310+19.1%
27Parts Salespersons$45,950
No formal educational credential
$31,120 – $62,150+18.9%
28Health Education Specialists$76,170
Bachelor's degree
$39,970 – $96,980+18.9%
29Medical Transcriptionists$48,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,410 – $55,200+18.8%
30Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,080 – $78,100+18.5%
31Insurance Underwriters$95,610
Bachelor's degree
$61,060 – $126,400+17.5%
32Public Safety Telecommunicators$62,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,950 – $75,180+17.3%
33Tire Repairers and Changers$44,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,720 – $54,600+17.3%
34Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,040
No formal educational credential
$33,580 – $57,320+17.2%
35Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$117,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,340 – $205,610+17.1%
36Food Batchmakers$49,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $59,060+16.8%
37Tree Trimmers and Pruners$59,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,980 – $76,110+16.0%
38Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$57,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,770 – $76,360+15.8%
39Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,410 – $63,530+15.6%
40Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$47,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,590 – $61,600+15.2%
41Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$85,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,290 – $90,120+15.1%
42Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,030 – $76,070+14.7%
43Tool and Die Makers$73,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,880 – $90,750+14.0%
44Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$57,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,280 – $81,640+13.6%
45Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$44,380
No formal educational credential
$30,180 – $59,350+13.4%
46Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$44,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,140 – $59,860+13.0%
47Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$64,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,940 – $75,860+12.7%
48Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$107,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $115,490+12.6%
49Counter and Rental Clerks$46,360
No formal educational credential
$34,280 – $75,480+12.3%
50Real Estate Sales Agents$59,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,370 – $91,320+12.1%

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	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$406,080	$233,340 – $593,020	+52.7%
2	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$96,900	$81,200 – $155,550	+51.8%
3	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,960	$60,700 – $93,960	+49.7%
4	Insulation Workers, MechanicalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,580	$58,340 – $94,680	+46.7%
5	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,260	$47,780 – $94,160	+46.7%
6	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,750	$52,910 – $119,880	+43.8%
7	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,010	$57,520 – $99,330	+38.7%
8	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,630	$45,710 – $69,180	+38.2%
9	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,460	$36,400 – $65,110	+32.2%
10	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,400	$45,930 – $101,750	+31.7%
11	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,960	$44,770 – $64,990	+29.8%
12	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$135,690	$82,400 – $183,720	+29.7%
13	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,740	$61,580 – $93,660	+29.0%
14	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,870	$39,270 – $97,560	+28.6%
15	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,410	$69,060 – $223,310	+28.0%
16	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,170	$45,020 – $70,580	+26.3%
17	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$59,260	$38,590 – $82,900	+25.8%
18	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,510	$46,520 – $69,210	+24.2%
19	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,250	$49,490 – $177,910	+24.0%
20	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,970	$60,870 – $122,220	+23.8%
21	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$55,400	$50,750 – $60,740	+23.6%
22	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,840	$49,460 – $63,720	+21.1%
23	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$68,990	$49,150 – $98,130	+21.0%
24	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$206,650	$122,410 – $293,050	+20.9%
25	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$51,500	$36,470 – $74,100	+20.0%
26	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,410	$36,710 – $63,310	+19.1%
27	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,950	$31,120 – $62,150	+18.9%
28	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,170	$39,970 – $96,980	+18.9%
29	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,010	$39,410 – $55,200	+18.8%
30	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,550	$44,080 – $78,100	+18.5%
31	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$95,610	$61,060 – $126,400	+17.5%
32	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,240	$46,950 – $75,180	+17.3%
33	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,240	$36,720 – $54,600	+17.3%
34	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,040	$33,580 – $57,320	+17.2%
35	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$117,750	$75,340 – $205,610	+17.1%
36	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,390	$35,480 – $59,060	+16.8%
37	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,120	$47,980 – $76,110	+16.0%
38	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,420	$36,770 – $76,360	+15.8%
39	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,560	$45,410 – $63,530	+15.6%
40	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,920	$40,590 – $61,600	+15.2%
41	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$85,290	$51,290 – $90,120	+15.1%
42	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,060	$37,030 – $76,070	+14.7%
43	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,010	$46,880 – $90,750	+14.0%
44	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,150	$47,280 – $81,640	+13.6%
45	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$44,380	$30,180 – $59,350	+13.4%
46	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,790	$29,140 – $59,860	+13.0%
47	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,720	$52,940 – $75,860	+12.7%
48	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,370	$50,510 – $115,490	+12.6%
49	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$46,360	$34,280 – $75,480	+12.3%
50	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,240	$38,370 – $91,320	+12.1%

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