Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Wisconsin

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

Cost of living: prices in Wisconsin run 5.9% below the national average (2024), so a Wisconsin salary is worth about 1.06× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Wisconsin.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Wisconsin

OccupationMedian, Wisconsin · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$391,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$201,050 – $478,990+47.3%
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$367,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,160 – $451,640+43.1%
3Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$82,620
Bachelor's degree
$49,470 – $123,850+29.5%
4Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$69,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $92,150+29.4%
5Brickmasons and Blockmasons$80,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,110 – $100,360+29.0%
6Insurance Sales Agents$79,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,430 – $163,380+27.6%
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$81,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,020 – $120,070+27.3%
8Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$75,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,370 – $100,140+25.8%
9Sheet Metal Workers$77,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,160 – $107,060+25.8%
10Millwrights$82,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,530 – $93,280+25.8%
11Correctional Officers and Jailers$73,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,540 – $92,140+24.7%
12Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$56,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,910 – $66,560+23.8%
13Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$61,940
Bachelor's degree
$37,950 – $82,350+21.7%
14Electricians$76,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,830 – $101,770+21.1%
15Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$59,810
No formal educational credential
$33,360 – $64,200+20.4%
16Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,370 – $67,730+20.3%
17Insurance Underwriters$97,370
Bachelor's degree
$61,410 – $134,090+19.7%
18Education Administrators, Postsecondary$124,960
Master's degree
$78,890 – $198,850+19.5%
19Construction Laborers$56,100
No formal educational credential
$37,990 – $80,920+19.1%
20Family Medicine Physicians$290,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$199,250 – $371,670+19.0%
21Medical Records Specialists$60,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,750 – $79,720+17.9%
22Parts Salespersons$45,380
No formal educational credential
$30,570 – $61,550+17.5%
23Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$60,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,250 – $76,750+16.5%
24Nurse Anesthetists$273,170
Master's degree
$223,690 – $320,630+15.5%
25Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,740 – $70,240+15.5%
26Highway Maintenance Workers$58,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,970 – $66,150+15.4%
27Helpers--Production Workers$45,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $61,010+15.4%
28Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$57,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $73,530+15.0%
29Surgical Technologists$74,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,410 – $86,670+14.6%
30Butchers and Meat Cutters$45,980
No formal educational credential
$33,170 – $56,210+14.5%
31Food Batchmakers$48,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,990 – $58,880+14.4%
32Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,970
Associate's degree
$48,640 – $94,320+13.9%
33Personal Financial Advisors$119,430
Bachelor's degree
$51,760 – $401,510+13.7%
34Tree Trimmers and Pruners$57,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,880 – $77,250+13.7%
35Dentists, General$193,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,780 – $306,370+13.3%
36Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$43,300
No formal educational credential
$35,890 – $48,490+13.1%
37Public Safety Telecommunicators$60,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,430 – $74,970+13.1%
38Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$113,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,360 – $166,270+12.7%
39Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$64,250
No formal educational credential
$48,410 – $93,910+12.7%
40Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$55,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $75,910+12.5%
41General and Operations Managers$118,730
Bachelor's degree
$59,540 – $247,560+12.3%
42Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,310
Bachelor's degree
$50,610 – $93,790+12.1%
43Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$47,990
Bachelor's degree
$30,670 – $58,740+11.8%
44Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$77,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,880 – $123,570+11.1%
45Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,330 – $119,850+11.0%
46Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,610
No formal educational credential
$33,260 – $57,360+10.9%
47Counter and Rental Clerks$45,720
No formal educational credential
$30,900 – $73,470+10.7%
48Helpers--Electricians$47,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,310 – $68,130+10.7%
49Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$117,010
Master's degree
$82,010 – $140,520+10.5%
50Sewing Machine Operators$40,370
No formal educational credential
$30,860 – $50,080+10.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianWisconsin	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$391,740	$201,050 – $478,990	+47.3%
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$367,160	$74,160 – $451,640	+43.1%
3	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$82,620	$49,470 – $123,850	+29.5%
4	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,020	$37,440 – $92,150	+29.4%
5	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,120	$47,110 – $100,360	+29.0%
6	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,450	$47,430 – $163,380	+27.6%
7	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,210	$50,020 – $120,070	+27.3%
8	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,280	$51,370 – $100,140	+25.8%
9	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,760	$45,160 – $107,060	+25.8%
10	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,630	$57,530 – $93,280	+25.8%
11	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,470	$56,540 – $92,140	+24.7%
12	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,420	$40,910 – $66,560	+23.8%
13	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$61,940	$37,950 – $82,350	+21.7%
14	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,540	$44,830 – $101,770	+21.1%
15	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$59,810	$33,360 – $64,200	+20.4%
16	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,640	$44,370 – $67,730	+20.3%
17	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$97,370	$61,410 – $134,090	+19.7%
18	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$124,960	$78,890 – $198,850	+19.5%
19	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,100	$37,990 – $80,920	+19.1%
20	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$290,640	$199,250 – $371,670	+19.0%
21	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,280	$46,750 – $79,720	+17.9%
22	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,380	$30,570 – $61,550	+17.5%
23	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,100	$38,250 – $76,750	+16.5%
24	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$273,170	$223,690 – $320,630	+15.5%
25	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,050	$45,740 – $70,240	+15.5%
26	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,000	$42,970 – $66,150	+15.4%
27	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,100	$34,670 – $61,010	+15.4%
28	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,340	$35,640 – $73,530	+15.0%
29	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,120	$59,410 – $86,670	+14.6%
30	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$45,980	$33,170 – $56,210	+14.5%
31	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,360	$36,990 – $58,880	+14.4%
32	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,970	$48,640 – $94,320	+13.9%
33	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$119,430	$51,760 – $401,510	+13.7%
34	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,930	$45,880 – $77,250	+13.7%
35	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,690	$121,780 – $306,370	+13.3%
36	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$43,300	$35,890 – $48,490	+13.1%
37	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,000	$46,430 – $74,970	+13.1%
38	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$113,360	$76,360 – $166,270	+12.7%
39	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$64,250	$48,410 – $93,910	+12.7%
40	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,810	$35,870 – $75,910	+12.5%
41	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,730	$59,540 – $247,560	+12.3%
42	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,310	$50,610 – $93,790	+12.1%
43	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$47,990	$30,670 – $58,740	+11.8%
44	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,730	$52,880 – $123,570	+11.1%
45	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,820	$58,330 – $119,850	+11.0%
46	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,610	$33,260 – $57,360	+10.9%
47	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$45,720	$30,900 – $73,470	+10.7%
48	Helpers--ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,230	$36,310 – $68,130	+10.7%
49	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$117,010	$82,010 – $140,520	+10.5%
50	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$40,370	$30,860 – $50,080	+10.1%

More for Wisconsin

Metro areas in Wisconsin

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Wisconsin

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Wisconsin

More for Wisconsin

Metro areas in Wisconsin

By field in Wisconsin

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state