Jobs that pay the biggest premium in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

Each occupation's median wage in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN run 8.2% below the national average (2024), so a La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN salary is worth about 1.09× 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

OccupationMedian, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN · vs. national

1Structural Iron and Steel Workers$100,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,360 – $100,160+59.5%
2Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$62,400
Bachelor's degree
$35,420 – $62,400+49.7%
3Family Medicine Physicians$327,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,300 – $338,390+34.3%
4Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,770 – $105,590+29.5%
5Insurance Sales Agents$80,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,290 – $204,560+28.9%
6Optometrists$175,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,530 – $224,140+28.7%
7Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$78,110
Bachelor's degree
$58,700 – $96,820+26.9%
8Medical Records Specialists$64,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,430 – $101,060+26.3%
9Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$126,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,390 – $153,570+26.2%
10Construction Laborers$58,900
No formal educational credential
$38,900 – $75,880+25.0%
11Electricians$78,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,800 – $108,870+24.6%
12Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$79,370
Bachelor's degree
$44,970 – $113,610+24.4%
13Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$56,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,050 – $73,080+22.9%
14Sheet Metal Workers$75,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,270 – $98,520+21.7%
15Education Administrators, Postsecondary$125,100
Master's degree
$74,260 – $169,520+19.6%
16Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$71,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,660 – $100,140+19.3%
17Dentists, General$201,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,380 – $287,690+18.1%
18Highway Maintenance Workers$59,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,960 – $63,700+18.0%
19Parts Salespersons$45,150
No formal educational credential
$30,150 – $63,590+16.9%
20Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,370 – $58,560+16.6%
21Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$72,580
Bachelor's degree
$36,840 – $91,790+15.8%
22Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$121,780
Master's degree
$78,090 – $128,990+15.0%
23File Clerks$49,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,640 – $58,020+13.8%
24Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$54,110
Some college, no degree
$35,720 – $61,310+13.2%
25Pharmacists$159,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,320 – $187,810+12.9%
26Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$107,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,740 – $117,380+12.7%
27Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$101,060
Bachelor's degree
$67,490 – $134,440+12.1%
28Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$54,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,270 – $72,770+11.6%
29Food Batchmakers$46,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $55,570+11.0%
30Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$66,770
Master's degree
$46,530 – $92,850+10.8%
31Data Entry Keyers$45,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,930 – $53,350+10.7%
32Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$47,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $60,210+10.1%
33Bus Drivers, School$52,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,650 – $81,720+9.9%
34Counter and Rental Clerks$45,300
No formal educational credential
$31,030 – $66,210+9.7%
35Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,540
Associate's degree
$60,320 – $100,920+9.4%
36Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,780 – $78,320+9.4%
37Conservation Scientists$79,440
Bachelor's degree
$50,370 – $122,930+8.8%
38Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$42,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,300 – $47,630+7.7%
39Bakers$40,000
No formal educational credential
$28,690 – $49,290+7.6%
40Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$80,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,470 – $114,170+7.6%
41Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$54,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,740 – $68,030+7.3%
42Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$53,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,590 – $71,090+7.2%
43Machinists$62,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $80,440+7.2%
44Receptionists and Information Clerks$40,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,030 – $50,730+6.9%
45Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$60,860
No formal educational credential
$45,510 – $78,370+6.7%
46Child, Family, and School Social Workers$63,480
Bachelor's degree
$41,810 – $85,170+6.6%
47First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$51,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,990 – $79,140+6.5%
48Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,800
No formal educational credential
$30,970 – $55,650+6.4%
49Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $48,700+6.2%
50Photographers$47,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,770 – $91,990+5.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLa Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,160	$87,360 – $100,160	+59.5%
2	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$62,400	$35,420 – $62,400	+49.7%
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$327,890	$75,300 – $338,390	+34.3%
4	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,610	$49,770 – $105,590	+29.5%
5	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,300	$47,290 – $204,560	+28.9%
6	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$175,810	$110,530 – $224,140	+28.7%
7	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$78,110	$58,700 – $96,820	+26.9%
8	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,590	$47,430 – $101,060	+26.3%
9	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$126,960	$81,390 – $153,570	+26.2%
10	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$58,900	$38,900 – $75,880	+25.0%
11	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,760	$45,800 – $108,870	+24.6%
12	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$79,370	$44,970 – $113,610	+24.4%
13	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,010	$42,050 – $73,080	+22.9%
14	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,190	$40,270 – $98,520	+21.7%
15	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$125,100	$74,260 – $169,520	+19.6%
16	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,430	$48,660 – $100,140	+19.3%
17	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$201,810	$129,380 – $287,690	+18.1%
18	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,320	$46,960 – $63,700	+18.0%
19	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,150	$30,150 – $63,590	+16.9%
20	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,280	$37,370 – $58,560	+16.6%
21	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$72,580	$36,840 – $91,790	+15.8%
22	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$121,780	$78,090 – $128,990	+15.0%
23	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,620	$28,640 – $58,020	+13.8%
24	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$54,110	$35,720 – $61,310	+13.2%
25	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$159,020	$110,320 – $187,810	+12.9%
26	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,420	$91,740 – $117,380	+12.7%
27	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,060	$67,490 – $134,440	+12.1%
28	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,930	$40,270 – $72,770	+11.6%
29	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,940	$37,440 – $55,570	+11.0%
30	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$66,770	$46,530 – $92,850	+10.8%
31	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,780	$33,930 – $53,350	+10.7%
32	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,780	$38,270 – $60,210	+10.1%
33	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,670	$35,650 – $81,720	+9.9%
34	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$45,300	$31,030 – $66,210	+9.7%
35	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,540	$60,320 – $100,920	+9.4%
36	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,800	$48,780 – $78,320	+9.4%
37	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,440	$50,370 – $122,930	+8.8%
38	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,670	$27,300 – $47,630	+7.7%
39	BakersNo formal educational credential	$40,000	$28,690 – $49,290	+7.6%
40	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,020	$59,470 – $114,170	+7.6%
41	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,390	$41,740 – $68,030	+7.3%
42	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,160	$36,590 – $71,090	+7.2%
43	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,960	$37,080 – $80,440	+7.2%
44	Receptionists and Information ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,640	$31,030 – $50,730	+6.9%
45	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$60,860	$45,510 – $78,370	+6.7%
46	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$63,480	$41,810 – $85,170	+6.6%
47	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,710	$36,990 – $79,140	+6.5%
48	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,800	$30,970 – $55,650	+6.4%
49	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,890	$36,980 – $48,700	+6.2%
50	PhotographersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,300	$31,770 – $91,990	+5.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

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