Madison, WI metro area

Average Salary in Madison, WI

The average salary in Madison, Wisconsin is $70,990 a year ($34.13 an hour) across all jobs, and the median is $58,080, according to BLS estimates for May 2025 covering the Madison, WI metro area. That is about the same as the U.S. metro average ($70,751) and 11% more than the Wisconsin average ($63,830).

$70,990average salary
$58,080median salary
97cost of living (U.S. = 100)
408,070jobs in the metro
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Average salary by job family in Madison

Management$145,480
Legal$127,050
Computer and Mathematical$107,100
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical$104,480
Architecture and Engineering$96,330
Business and Financial Operations$88,920
Life, Physical, and Social Science$82,110
Construction and Extraction$72,980
Educational Instruction and Library$70,980
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media$69,030
Community and Social Service$66,220
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair$65,580
Protective Service$64,190
Sales and Related$55,930
Office and Administrative Support$52,860
Production$52,330
Transportation and Material Moving$46,880
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry$43,370
Healthcare Support$43,320
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance$42,560
Personal Care and Service$41,430
Food Preparation and Serving Related$35,030
BLS OEWS May 2025, all employers in the metro area.

Highest-paying jobs in Madison

Most common jobs in Madison and what they pay

JobJobsAverage salaryMedian
Registered Nurses10,650$100,430$101,190
Fast Food and Counter Workers9,180$30,970$29,820
Home Health and Personal Care Aides8,360$37,480$37,220
Retail Salespersons8,330$37,950$35,830
Cashiers7,960$33,940$34,550
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand7,130$43,800$44,190
Customer Service Representatives7,120$50,710$47,500
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners6,780$40,720$39,680
Software Developers6,720$129,020$130,630
Office Clerks, General5,970$48,000$46,590
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Cost of living in Madison

Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average, with a BEA price parity of 97.3 for 2024. The average local salary of $70,990 therefore buys what $72,970 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. A typical home is worth $452,769, 5.2 times the median household income of $86,827.

$452,769typical home value
$86,827median household income
97.3BEA price parity
683,967metro population

Take-home pay in Madison

Salary levelGrossAfter taxPer month
25th percentile wage$40,990$33,982$2,832
Median wage$58,080$46,872$3,906
Average wage$70,990$56,066$4,672
75th percentile wage$84,110$64,517$5,376

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Compare Madison with another city

Salaries for every job in Madison

Management30 jobs
Legal5 jobs
Computer and Mathematical17 jobs
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical52 jobs
Architecture and Engineering27 jobs
Business and Financial Operations28 jobs
Life, Physical, and Social Science35 jobs
Construction and Extraction27 jobs
Educational Instruction and Library42 jobs
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media22 jobs
Community and Social Service15 jobs
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair27 jobs
Protective Service16 jobs
Sales and Related18 jobs
Office and Administrative Support44 jobs
Production50 jobs
Transportation and Material Moving18 jobs
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry5 jobs
Healthcare Support14 jobs
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance8 jobs
Personal Care and Service19 jobs
Food Preparation and Serving Related15 jobs

Average salary in nearby cities

Average salary in Wisconsin

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Salary in Madison: questions

What is a good salary in Madison?

Half of all workers in the Madison metro earn less than $58,080 and the average is $70,990. Earning more than $84,110 puts you in the top quarter of local wages.

How much do you need to earn in Madison to match a $70,751 salary elsewhere?

About $68,831, because prices here are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3).

What are the highest-paying jobs in Madison?

Physicians, All Other ($313,230), Family Medicine Physicians ($280,980), Emergency Medicine Physicians ($273,020).

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