Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Madison, WI

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

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 · vs. national

1Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$142,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,510 – $218,860+68.4%
2Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$132,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,640 – $227,840+65.2%
3Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$75,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,740 – $75,990+56.0%
4Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$98,530
Associate's degree
$50,600 – $128,450+44.9%
5Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$77,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,010 – $77,800+43.5%
6Psychiatric Technicians$64,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,690 – $86,490+42.7%
7Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$89,070
Bachelor's degree
$50,610 – $151,060+39.6%
8Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,830 – $102,450+38.8%
9Business Teachers, Postsecondary$137,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,770 – $332,780+38.3%
10Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$104,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,080 – $173,040+34.9%
11Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$85,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,310 – $123,270+33.5%
12Brickmasons and Blockmasons$82,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,650 – $100,820+32.7%
13English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$104,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$57,920 – $166,230+32.3%
14Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$66,690
Bachelor's degree
$41,960 – $82,650+31.0%
15Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$59,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,260 – $70,680+29.9%
16Insurance Sales Agents$80,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,780 – $152,330+29.6%
17Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,520 – $92,140+29.4%
18General Internal Medicine Physicians$329,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,160 – $420,040+28.5%
19Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$64,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,940 – $127,460+28.4%
20Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$50,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,150 – $53,920+26.6%
21Highway Maintenance Workers$63,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,010 – $71,920+26.4%
22Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,420 – $224,260+26.1%
23Library Assistants, Clerical$46,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $61,720+25.4%
24Health Education Specialists$79,910
Bachelor's degree
$60,060 – $111,110+24.7%
25Electricians$78,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,050 – $102,860+24.1%
26Medical Equipment Repairers$76,020
Associate's degree
$50,640 – $120,990+23.3%
27Parts Salespersons$47,590
No formal educational credential
$34,600 – $62,090+23.2%
28Animal Scientists$84,310
Bachelor's degree
$57,400 – $170,450+22.3%
29First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$70,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,780 – $89,530+21.1%
30Construction Laborers$57,000
No formal educational credential
$36,610 – $80,460+21.0%
31Medical Records Specialists$61,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,480 – $79,720+21.0%
32Interpreters and Translators$72,720
Bachelor's degree
$46,020 – $97,550+20.9%
33Sheet Metal Workers$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $107,280+20.5%
34Nurse Anesthetists$283,980
Master's degree
$223,690 – $324,990+20.0%
35Personal Financial Advisors$126,000
Bachelor's degree
$52,490 – $507,290+19.9%
36Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$60,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,440 – $81,490+19.8%
37Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$71,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,220 – $83,700+19.7%
38General and Operations Managers$126,620
Bachelor's degree
$63,380 – $257,480+19.7%
39Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,980
No formal educational credential
$35,080 – $58,960+19.5%
40Special Education Teachers, Middle School$79,710
Bachelor's degree
$49,050 – $103,170+19.3%
41Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$126,320
Master's degree
$93,310 – $163,660+19.3%
42Family Medicine Physicians$291,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,400 – $360,140+19.2%
43Computer Network Support Specialists$90,400
Associate's degree
$65,330 – $110,660+18.6%
44Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,970
Associate's degree
$48,150 – $98,620+18.5%
45Real Estate Sales Agents$62,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,080 – $119,990+18.2%
46Crossing Guards and Flaggers$44,840
No formal educational credential
$32,410 – $50,730+17.7%
47Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$94,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,920 – $127,530+17.7%
48Surgical Technologists$75,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,930 – $96,720+17.4%
49Tutors$50,820
Some college, no degree
$37,460 – $84,980+17.2%
50Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$53,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,860 – $72,330+17.2%

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	vs. national
1	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$142,490	$74,510 – $218,860	+68.4%
2	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$132,100	$60,640 – $227,840	+65.2%
3	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,990	$49,740 – $75,990	+56.0%
4	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$98,530	$50,600 – $128,450	+44.9%
5	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,800	$47,010 – $77,800	+43.5%
6	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,380	$36,690 – $86,490	+42.7%
7	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$89,070	$50,610 – $151,060	+39.6%
8	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,060	$58,830 – $102,450	+38.8%
9	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,060	$78,770 – $332,780	+38.3%
10	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$104,760	$52,080 – $173,040	+34.9%
11	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,160	$48,310 – $123,270	+33.5%
12	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,420	$48,650 – $100,820	+32.7%
13	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$104,190	$57,920 – $166,230	+32.3%
14	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,690	$41,960 – $82,650	+31.0%
15	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,180	$45,260 – $70,680	+29.9%
16	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,700	$49,780 – $152,330	+29.6%
17	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,250	$53,520 – $92,140	+29.4%
18	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$329,670	$74,160 – $420,040	+28.5%
19	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,580	$47,940 – $127,460	+28.4%
20	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,170	$37,150 – $53,920	+26.6%
21	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,530	$50,010 – $71,920	+26.4%
22	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,840	$83,420 – $224,260	+26.1%
23	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,290	$34,910 – $61,720	+25.4%
24	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,910	$60,060 – $111,110	+24.7%
25	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,430	$45,050 – $102,860	+24.1%
26	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$76,020	$50,640 – $120,990	+23.3%
27	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,590	$34,600 – $62,090	+23.2%
28	Animal ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,310	$57,400 – $170,450	+22.3%
29	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,740	$56,780 – $89,530	+21.1%
30	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$57,000	$36,610 – $80,460	+21.0%
31	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,860	$48,480 – $79,720	+21.0%
32	Interpreters and TranslatorsBachelor's degree	$72,720	$46,020 – $97,550	+20.9%
33	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$47,150 – $107,280	+20.5%
34	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$283,980	$223,690 – $324,990	+20.0%
35	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$126,000	$52,490 – $507,290	+19.9%
36	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,650	$37,440 – $81,490	+19.8%
37	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,850	$51,220 – $83,700	+19.7%
38	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,620	$63,380 – $257,480	+19.7%
39	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,980	$35,080 – $58,960	+19.5%
40	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,710	$49,050 – $103,170	+19.3%
41	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$126,320	$93,310 – $163,660	+19.3%
42	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$291,000	$114,400 – $360,140	+19.2%
43	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$90,400	$65,330 – $110,660	+18.6%
44	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,970	$48,150 – $98,620	+18.5%
45	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,440	$40,080 – $119,990	+18.2%
46	Crossing Guards and FlaggersNo formal educational credential	$44,840	$32,410 – $50,730	+17.7%
47	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,420	$53,920 – $127,530	+17.7%
48	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,930	$61,930 – $96,720	+17.4%
49	TutorsSome college, no degree	$50,820	$37,460 – $84,980	+17.2%
50	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,530	$33,860 – $72,330	+17.2%

More for Madison, WI

Other metro areas in WI

By field in Madison, WI

Without a degree

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Madison, WI

More for Madison, WI

Other metro areas in WI

By field in Madison, WI

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state