Registered Nurses Salary in Wisconsin
Registered Nurses in Wisconsin have a median of $95,530 a year, below the national $97,550 (−2%); the state ranks 23rd of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 90% more than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota and Illinois pay more (up to $101,510 in Minnesota) and Michigan and Iowa pay less (down to $78,630 in Iowa). Wisconsin employs 68,060 registered nurses, 23.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.06 is close to the national share.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $37.24 | $39.39 | $45.93 | $49.33 | $57.63 | $45.53 | 68,060 | 23.14 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $77,470 | $81,920 | $95,530 | $102,610 | $119,860 | $94,690 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 23rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.14
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin publish a row for registered nurses, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $49.54 | $103,040 | $82,180 | $133,450 | 43,600 | 22.34 | 1.03 |
| Madison, WI | $48.65 | $101,190 | $81,760 | $123,240 | 10,650 | 26.10 | 1.20 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $47.29 | $98,370 | $79,820 | $120,220 | 2,920 | 34.58 | 1.59 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $46.81 | $97,360 | $78,730 | $119,490 | 22,400 | 27.29 | 1.26 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $46.61 | $96,940 | $77,460 | $125,980 | 4,410 | 35.32 | 1.63 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $45.14 | $93,890 | $77,380 | $117,660 | 960 | 21.87 | 1.01 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $44.91 | $93,410 | $76,320 | $120,680 | 2,420 | 28.13 | 1.29 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $44.72 | $93,030 | $77,440 | $103,600 | 1,680 | 24.08 | 1.11 |
| Wausau, WI | $42.88 | $89,190 | $77,380 | $115,210 | 1,830 | 26.28 | 1.21 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $42.83 | $89,090 | $77,410 | $119,450 | 1,510 | 19.80 | 0.91 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $41.99 | $87,340 | $78,070 | $109,900 | 2,050 | 21.90 | 1.01 |
| Appleton, WI | $41.67 | $86,680 | $74,340 | $109,030 | 2,310 | 18.58 | 0.85 |
| Green Bay, WI | $40.72 | $84,700 | $78,620 | $104,390 | 4,680 | 26.79 | 1.23 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $40.50 | $84,240 | $78,580 | $114,050 | 1,130 | 18.69 | 0.86 |
| Kenosha, WI | $39.96 | $83,110 | $76,960 | $100,430 | 1,730 | 22.91 | 1.05 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $47.12 | $98,000 | $79,520 | $121,610 | 2,220 | 17.40 | 0.80 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $42.59 | $88,580 | $72,090 | $103,900 | 890 | 18.49 | 0.85 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $41.66 | $86,650 | $75,180 | $106,230 | 3,060 | 14.51 | 0.67 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $40.54 | $84,320 | $75,170 | $101,940 | 3,500 | 17.85 | 0.82 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Registered Nurses (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Wisconsin estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.