How Much Does an LPN Make in Milwaukee, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in Milwaukee, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Milwaukee · Waukesha metro area
A typical LPN in Milwaukee, Wisconsin earns $31.45 per hour, or $65,410 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,451 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $55,620, and the top 10% of earners make over $79,830.
That pay is 3% above the Wisconsin figure of $63,760 and 2% above the national figure of $64,400. Milwaukee ranks 2nd of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for LPN pay. About 1,890 LPNs work in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area. Milwaukee is part of the Milwaukee · Waukesha metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Waukesha share these figures.
LPN pay in Milwaukee at a glance
- Typical pay is $31.45 an hour, or $65,410 a year.
- That is 3% above the Wisconsin figure, ranking 2nd of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $55,620; the top 10% make over $79,830.
- Typical pay rose +43% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Milwaukee?
Pay in Milwaukee runs from entry-level positions at around $26.74 an hour to more than $38.38 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Milwaukee
| Career stage | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $55,620$26.74 an hour | $51,820$24.91 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $61,220$29.44 an hour | $59,620$28.67 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $65,410$31.45 an hour | $63,760$30.65 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $77,770$37.39 an hour | $75,010$36.06 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $79,830$38.38 an hour | $78,490$37.73 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Milwaukee · Waukesha area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Milwaukee
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Milwaukee was $45,840 a year. By 2025 it had reached $65,410, a change of +43%, compared with +47% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Milwaukee compares with other Wisconsin cities
Bloomington pays LPNs the most in Wisconsin at $65,660 a year, $250 more than Milwaukee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Wausau at $60,360.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Milwaukee | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomington metro incl. St. Paul | $65,660 | $31.57 | 0% | 6,300 |
| 2 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $65,410 | $31.45 | this city | 1,890 |
| 3 | Kenosha | $65,350 | $31.42 | 0% | 250 |
| 4 | Appleton | $65,300 | $31.39 | 0% | 370 |
| 5 | Fond du Lac | $65,270 | $31.38 | 0% | 160 |
| 6 | Mount Pleasant metro incl. Racine | $64,850 | $31.18 | -1% | 180 |
| 7 | Madison | $64,550 | $31.04 | -1% | 650 |
| 8 | Janesville metro incl. Beloit | $64,000 | $30.77 | -2% | 190 |
| 9 | La Crosse metro incl. Onalaska | $63,950 | $30.74 | -2% | 260 |
| 10 | Sheboygan | $62,820 | $30.20 | -4% | 160 |
| 11 | Oshkosh metro incl. Neenah | $60,960 | $29.31 | -7% | 270 |
| 12 | Eau Claire | $60,950 | $29.30 | -7% | 250 |
| 13 | Green Bay | $60,790 | $29.23 | -7% | 600 |
| 14 | Wausau | $60,360 | $29.02 | -8% | 150 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $63,760
Is Milwaukee a good place to work as an LPN?
LPN pay in Milwaukee sits close to the national figure: $65,410 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area, about 2.3 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. That makes LPNs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in Milwaukee, WI?
- A typical LPN in Milwaukee earns $65,410 a year, or $31.45 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $55,620 and the top 10% earn over $79,830.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Milwaukee?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Milwaukee is $31.45. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $26.74, and the top 10% earn over $38.38 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Milwaukee?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Milwaukee typically offer around $26.74 an hour, or $55,620 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Milwaukee higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Milwaukee pay is 3% above the Wisconsin figure of $63,760 a year, ranking 2nd of 14 metro areas in the state. Bloomington pays the most in Wisconsin at $65,660.