How Much Does an RN Make in Appleton, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Appleton, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Appleton metro area
A typical RN in Appleton, Wisconsin earns $41.67 per hour, or $86,680 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,223 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,340, and the top 10% of earners make over $109,030.
That pay is 9% below the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 and 11% below the national figure of $97,550. Appleton ranks 11th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for RN pay. About 2,310 RNs work in the Appleton area.
RN pay in Appleton at a glance
- Typical pay is $41.67 an hour, or $86,680 a year.
- That is 9% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 11th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,340; the top 10% make over $109,030.
- Typical pay rose +44% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Appleton?
Pay in Appleton runs from entry-level positions at around $35.74 an hour to more than $52.42 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Appleton
| Career stage | Appleton | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,340$35.74 an hour | $77,470$37.24 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $79,760$38.35 an hour | $81,920$39.39 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $86,680$41.67 an hour | $95,530$45.93 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $101,340$48.72 an hour | $102,610$49.33 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $109,030$52.42 an hour | $119,860$57.63 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Appleton area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Appleton
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Appleton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Appleton was $60,350 a year. By 2025 it had reached $86,680, a change of +44%, compared with +47% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Appleton compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays RNs the most in Wisconsin at $103,040 a year, $16,360 more than Appleton. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kenosha at $83,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Appleton | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $103,040 | $49.54 | +19% | 43,600 |
| 2 | Madison | $101,190 | $48.65 | +17% | 10,650 |
| 3 | La Crosse metro incl. Onalaska | $98,370 | $47.29 | +13% | 2,920 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $97,360 | $46.81 | +12% | 22,400 |
| 5 | Fond du Lac | $93,890 | $45.14 | +8% | 960 |
| 6 | Eau Claire | $93,410 | $44.91 | +8% | 2,420 |
| 7 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $93,030 | $44.72 | +7% | 1,680 |
| 8 | Wausau | $89,190 | $42.88 | +3% | 1,830 |
| 9 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $89,090 | $42.83 | +3% | 1,510 |
| 10 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $87,340 | $41.99 | +1% | 2,050 |
| 11 | Appleton | $86,680 | $41.67 | this city | 2,310 |
| 12 | Green Bay | $84,700 | $40.72 | -2% | 4,680 |
| 13 | Sheboygan | $84,240 | $40.50 | -3% | 1,130 |
| 14 | Kenosha | $83,110 | $39.96 | -4% | 1,730 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $95,530
Is Appleton a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Appleton earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $86,680 a year, 11% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Appleton area, about 19 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes RNs 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 RN make in Appleton, WI?
- A typical RN in Appleton earns $86,680 a year, or $41.67 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,340 and the top 10% earn over $109,030.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Appleton?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Appleton is $41.67. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.74, and the top 10% earn over $52.42 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Appleton?
- Entry-level RN positions in Appleton typically offer around $35.74 an hour, or $74,340 a year.
- Is RN pay in Appleton higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Appleton pay is 9% below the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 a year, ranking 11th of 14 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $103,040.