Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Wausau, WI

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

Cost of living: prices in Wausau, WI run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Wausau, 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 Wausau, WI

OccupationMedian, Wausau, WI · vs. national

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$90,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,830 – $96,020+51.9%
2Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$69,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,190 – $80,020+41.0%
3Physicians, All Other$364,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$204,170 – $514,000+37.0%
4Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$86,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,380 – $103,440+36.0%
5Millwrights$83,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,820 – $91,050+27.1%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$80,480
Bachelor's degree
$59,280 – $99,930+26.1%
7Sheet Metal Workers$77,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,540 – $91,970+25.1%
8Helpers--Production Workers$48,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,440 – $63,640+24.9%
9Electricians$78,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,530 – $86,790+24.5%
10Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,560 – $80,870+21.5%
11Social and Human Service Assistants$55,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,260 – $84,230+20.5%
12Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,420 – $60,100+20.4%
13Parts Salespersons$46,400
No formal educational credential
$29,950 – $61,690+20.1%
14Dentists, General$202,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,900 – $285,410+18.3%
15Production Workers, All Other$46,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $63,770+15.1%
16Food Batchmakers$48,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,320 – $57,510+14.8%
17Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$45,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,550 – $48,470+14.5%
18Nurse Anesthetists$269,790
Master's degree
$214,160 – $320,630+14.0%
19Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$114,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,170 – $165,040+13.7%
20Medical Transcriptionists$45,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,050 – $54,800+13.4%
21Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$58,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,930 – $64,100+13.4%
22Butchers and Meat Cutters$45,530
No formal educational credential
$30,310 – $51,320+13.4%
23Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $70,720+13.1%
24Instructional Coordinators$87,180
Master's degree
$48,360 – $124,870+12.6%
25Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$56,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $72,800+12.2%
26Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$55,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $72,410+12.2%
27Construction Laborers$52,620
No formal educational credential
$38,910 – $79,060+11.7%
28Counter and Rental Clerks$45,700
No formal educational credential
$25,350 – $64,420+10.7%
29Printing Press Operators$50,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,240 – $61,480+10.6%
30Library Assistants, Clerical$40,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,740 – $48,920+10.1%
31Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $59,520+9.9%
32Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$74,780
Master's degree
$43,980 – $83,560+9.5%
33Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,020
No formal educational credential
$48,640 – $83,300+8.8%
34Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,460
No formal educational credential
$31,810 – $55,850+8.0%
35Surgical Technologists$69,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,480 – $86,840+7.4%
36Tire Repairers and Changers$40,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,860 – $46,830+7.4%
37First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$93,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,990 – $131,330+6.8%
38Sewing Machine Operators$39,110
No formal educational credential
$31,330 – $45,810+6.7%
39Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $57,510+6.5%
40Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$45,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,880 – $49,880+5.7%
41Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,350 – $66,270+5.7%
42Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,720 – $61,970+5.7%
43Pharmacists$148,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,320 – $165,980+5.6%
44Chefs and Head Cooks$65,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,040 – $85,000+5.5%
45Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$59,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,210 – $79,530+5.4%
46Highway Maintenance Workers$52,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,680 – $62,400+5.1%
47Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$53,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,450 – $78,530+4.9%
48Medical Assistants$47,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,340 – $57,870+4.8%
49Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$47,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,810 – $63,650+4.6%
50Optometrists$142,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$99,270 – $194,020+4.5%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWausau, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,900	$49,830 – $96,020	+51.9%
2	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,080	$48,190 – $80,020	+41.0%
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$364,260	$204,170 – $514,000	+37.0%
4	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,750	$50,380 – $103,440	+36.0%
5	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,480	$70,820 – $91,050	+27.1%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$80,480	$59,280 – $99,930	+26.1%
7	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,330	$42,540 – $91,970	+25.1%
8	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,790	$33,440 – $63,640	+24.9%
9	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,680	$41,530 – $86,790	+24.5%
10	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,070	$49,560 – $80,870	+21.5%
11	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,330	$36,260 – $84,230	+20.5%
12	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$39,420 – $60,100	+20.4%
13	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$46,400	$29,950 – $61,690	+20.1%
14	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$202,250	$118,900 – $285,410	+18.3%
15	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,180	$33,330 – $63,770	+15.1%
16	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,560	$37,320 – $57,510	+14.8%
17	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,110	$35,550 – $48,470	+14.5%
18	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$269,790	$214,160 – $320,630	+14.0%
19	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$114,400	$71,170 – $165,040	+13.7%
20	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,810	$35,050 – $54,800	+13.4%
21	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,220	$48,930 – $64,100	+13.4%
22	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$45,530	$30,310 – $51,320	+13.4%
23	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,330	$47,200 – $70,720	+13.1%
24	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$87,180	$48,360 – $124,870	+12.6%
25	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,460	$38,480 – $72,800	+12.2%
26	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,650	$36,900 – $72,410	+12.2%
27	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$52,620	$38,910 – $79,060	+11.7%
28	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$45,700	$25,350 – $64,420	+10.7%
29	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,650	$37,240 – $61,480	+10.6%
30	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,630	$30,740 – $48,920	+10.1%
31	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,670	$46,890 – $59,520	+9.9%
32	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$74,780	$43,980 – $83,560	+9.5%
33	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,020	$48,640 – $83,300	+8.8%
34	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,460	$31,810 – $55,850	+8.0%
35	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,430	$54,480 – $86,840	+7.4%
36	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,490	$35,860 – $46,830	+7.4%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,450	$49,990 – $131,330	+6.8%
38	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$39,110	$31,330 – $45,810	+6.7%
39	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,030	$37,430 – $57,510	+6.5%
40	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,200	$35,880 – $49,880	+5.7%
41	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,890	$39,350 – $66,270	+5.7%
42	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,850	$35,720 – $61,970	+5.7%
43	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$148,740	$110,320 – $165,980	+5.6%
44	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,910	$41,040 – $85,000	+5.5%
45	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,630	$40,210 – $79,530	+5.4%
46	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,820	$46,680 – $62,400	+5.1%
47	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,100	$36,450 – $78,530	+4.9%
48	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,870	$39,340 – $57,870	+4.8%
49	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,660	$35,810 – $63,650	+4.6%
50	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,690	$99,270 – $194,020	+4.5%

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