Wisconsin RN Salary - How Much Do RNs Make in WI?

The state of Wisconsin employed 56,870 registered nurses according to May 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At that time, the average RN salary in Wisconsin was $64,460, or about $30.99 per hour. This is only slightly less than the national average reported by the BLS of $65,470 per year. Accordingly, the cost of living in this state is lower as well. Wisconsin’s cost of living is 3.5 percent below the national average. As of April 2014, the unemployment rate in Wisconsin was 5.8 percent.

Registered nurses in Wisconsin are paid a range of salaries depending on a variety of factors, some of which include education and experience. Those with earnings in the 90th percentile, or the highest paid ten percent, made over $85,710 at the time when this data was collected. Those with earnings in the 75th percentile made more than $73,350. The median annual salary was $63,260. RNs with salaries in the 25th percentile made less than $54,540 in this state. Those in the tenth percentile earned $49,410 or less.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area has the highest average salary in Wisconsin. This area is located mostly in Minnesota, though part of Wisconsin is included in these figures. There are 33,600 RNs employed in this area, many of whom work in Minnesota, at an average salary of $73,420. Salaries in this area ranged from under $51,330 to above $96,470. The cost of living in this metropolitan area is below the national average, though only marginally. This might make it a great area in which to pursue a nursing career.

Madison, Wisconsin has the second highest average salary in the state for this occupation. RNs here made an average of $72,740 in 2018. This equates to $34.97 per year. The cost of living in the Madison area is about three percent below the national average.

The La Crosse area of Wisconsin, which also includes parts of Minnesota, has the lowest average RN salary in Wisconsin. RNs in this area made an average of $53,640 in 2018. Salaries in La Crosse ranged from under $42,230 to above $66,460. According to Forbes, the cost of living in this area is 13.3 percent below the national average. The median home price is $124,200.

Resources

• https://meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series
• http://www.forbes.com/places/mn/minneapolis-st-paul/
• http://www.forbes.com/places/wi/madison/
• https://www.forbes.com/places/wi/la-crosse/