Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

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

Cost of living: prices in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run 3.1% below the national average (2024), so a Milwaukee-Waukesha, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

OccupationMedian, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$411,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$232,480 – $478,990+54.6%
2Brickmasons and Blockmasons$96,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,650 – $100,360+54.6%
3Commercial Pilots$177,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$78,840 – $269,990+44.2%
4Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$61,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,490 – $66,680+35.1%
5Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$84,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,520 – $124,470+32.8%
6Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$79,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,390 – $100,860+32.7%
7Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$74,730
No formal educational credential
$50,440 – $96,950+31.1%
8Insurance Underwriters$106,570
Bachelor's degree
$64,150 – $134,090+31.0%
9Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$83,370
Bachelor's degree
$51,230 – $127,500+30.6%
10Insurance Sales Agents$81,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,490 – $154,380+30.2%
11Medical Records Specialists$65,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,220 – $80,010+28.5%
12Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$63,640
No formal educational credential
$33,630 – $64,200+28.1%
13Sheet Metal Workers$78,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,450 – $119,350+27.6%
14Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$96,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,150 – $115,380+24.3%
15Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$81,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$67,280 – $106,110+24.0%
16Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$62,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,940 – $89,240+23.5%
17Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$81,730
Bachelor's degree
$56,910 – $95,320+23.3%
18Electricians$77,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,170 – $103,850+23.1%
19Surgical Assistants$81,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,860 – $103,550+22.3%
20Construction Laborers$57,430
No formal educational credential
$38,280 – $83,510+21.9%
21Parts Salespersons$46,800
No formal educational credential
$31,570 – $62,550+21.1%
22Education Administrators, Postsecondary$126,430
Master's degree
$77,650 – $202,990+20.9%
23Highway Maintenance Workers$60,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,610 – $72,590+20.7%
24Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$58,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,100 – $63,390+19.9%
25Personal Financial Advisors$125,810
Bachelor's degree
$64,820 – $390,270+19.7%
26Butchers and Meat Cutters$47,780
No formal educational credential
$29,110 – $56,090+19.0%
27General and Operations Managers$125,490
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $260,040+18.6%
28Tree Trimmers and Pruners$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,820 – $77,220+17.9%
29Library Assistants, Clerical$43,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,300 – $55,590+17.7%
30Family Medicine Physicians$287,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$225,300 – $385,260+17.7%
31Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,200
Associate's degree
$54,180 – $93,150+17.3%
32Public Safety Telecommunicators$62,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,170 – $74,970+17.1%
33Protective Service Workers, All Other$49,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,910 – $83,430+16.5%
34Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$75,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,860 – $87,400+16.0%
35Surgical Technologists$74,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,290 – $86,670+15.7%
36First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$91,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,040 – $129,780+14.8%
37Special Education Teachers, Middle School$76,660
Bachelor's degree
$47,390 – $100,370+14.7%
38Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$80,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,800 – $134,650+14.6%
39Real Estate Sales Agents$60,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $92,970+14.6%
40Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$109,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,390 – $121,140+14.4%
41Cargo and Freight Agents$59,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,220 – $72,940+14.2%
42Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,050 – $76,950+14.0%
43Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$56,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,390 – $76,920+13.6%
44Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$44,440
No formal educational credential
$30,780 – $58,730+13.5%
45Receptionists and Information Clerks$42,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,900 – $51,820+12.9%
46Industrial Machinery Mechanics$72,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,640 – $91,040+12.6%
47Orderlies$42,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,550 – $47,230+11.9%
48Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$66,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,010 – $84,870+11.6%
49Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,840
No formal educational credential
$34,840 – $57,530+11.4%
50Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$46,190
Bachelor's degree
$35,460 – $57,660+10.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianMilwaukee-Waukesha, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$411,200	$232,480 – $478,990	+54.6%
2	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,010	$49,650 – $100,360	+54.6%
3	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$177,730	$78,840 – $269,990	+44.2%
4	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,580	$47,490 – $66,680	+35.1%
5	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,700	$56,520 – $124,470	+32.8%
6	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,430	$61,390 – $100,860	+32.7%
7	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$74,730	$50,440 – $96,950	+31.1%
8	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$106,570	$64,150 – $134,090	+31.0%
9	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$83,370	$51,230 – $127,500	+30.6%
10	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,080	$48,490 – $154,380	+30.2%
11	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,730	$47,220 – $80,010	+28.5%
12	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$63,640	$33,630 – $64,200	+28.1%
13	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,840	$45,450 – $119,350	+27.6%
14	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$96,500	$50,150 – $115,380	+24.3%
15	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,580	$67,280 – $106,110	+24.0%
16	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,530	$36,940 – $89,240	+23.5%
17	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,730	$56,910 – $95,320	+23.3%
18	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,800	$45,170 – $103,850	+23.1%
19	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,690	$48,860 – $103,550	+22.3%
20	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$57,430	$38,280 – $83,510	+21.9%
21	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,800	$31,570 – $62,550	+21.1%
22	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$126,430	$77,650 – $202,990	+20.9%
23	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,660	$37,610 – $72,590	+20.7%
24	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,370	$44,100 – $63,390	+19.9%
25	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$125,810	$64,820 – $390,270	+19.7%
26	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$47,780	$29,110 – $56,090	+19.0%
27	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$125,490	$61,420 – $260,040	+18.6%
28	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$46,820 – $77,220	+17.9%
29	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,450	$31,300 – $55,590	+17.7%
30	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$287,350	$225,300 – $385,260	+17.7%
31	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,200	$54,180 – $93,150	+17.3%
32	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,130	$55,170 – $74,970	+17.1%
33	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,570	$24,910 – $83,430	+16.5%
34	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,960	$50,860 – $87,400	+16.0%
35	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,830	$61,290 – $86,670	+15.7%
36	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,760	$50,040 – $129,780	+14.8%
37	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$76,660	$47,390 – $100,370	+14.7%
38	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,200	$56,800 – $134,650	+14.6%
39	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,530	$38,120 – $92,970	+14.6%
40	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,000	$63,390 – $121,140	+14.4%
41	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,660	$42,220 – $72,940	+14.2%
42	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$41,050 – $76,950	+14.0%
43	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,320	$36,390 – $76,920	+13.6%
44	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$44,440	$30,780 – $58,730	+13.5%
45	Receptionists and Information ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,920	$29,900 – $51,820	+12.9%
46	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,680	$49,640 – $91,040	+12.6%
47	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,840	$38,550 – $47,230	+11.9%
48	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,980	$51,010 – $84,870	+11.6%
49	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,840	$34,840 – $57,530	+11.4%
50	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$46,190	$35,460 – $57,660	+10.8%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

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