How Much Does an RN Make in Milwaukee, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in Milwaukee, Wisconsin earns $46.81 per hour, or $97,360 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,113 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,730, and the top 10% of earners make over $119,490.
That pay is 2% above the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 and right at the national figure of $97,550. Milwaukee ranks 4th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for RN pay. About 22,400 RNs 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.
RN pay in Milwaukee at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.81 an hour, or $97,360 a year.
- That is 2% above the Wisconsin figure, ranking 4th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,730; the top 10% make over $119,490.
- Typical pay rose +43% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Milwaukee?
Pay in Milwaukee runs from entry-level positions at around $37.85 an hour to more than $57.45 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Milwaukee
| Career stage | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $78,730$37.85 an hour | $77,470$37.24 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $82,570$39.70 an hour | $81,920$39.39 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $97,360$46.81 an hour | $95,530$45.93 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $105,000$50.48 an hour | $102,610$49.33 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $119,490$57.45 an hour | $119,860$57.63 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Milwaukee · Waukesha area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Milwaukee
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Milwaukee was $67,980 a year. By 2025 it had reached $97,360, a change of +43%, compared with +47% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Milwaukee compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays RNs the most in Wisconsin at $103,040 a year, $5,680 more than Milwaukee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kenosha at $83,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Milwaukee | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $103,040 | $49.54 | +6% | 43,600 |
| 2 | Madison | $101,190 | $48.65 | +4% | 10,650 |
| 3 | La Crosse metro incl. Onalaska | $98,370 | $47.29 | +1% | 2,920 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $97,360 | $46.81 | this city | 22,400 |
| 5 | Fond du Lac | $93,890 | $45.14 | -4% | 960 |
| 6 | Eau Claire | $93,410 | $44.91 | -4% | 2,420 |
| 7 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $93,030 | $44.72 | -4% | 1,680 |
| 8 | Wausau | $89,190 | $42.88 | -8% | 1,830 |
| 9 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $89,090 | $42.83 | -8% | 1,510 |
| 10 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $87,340 | $41.99 | -10% | 2,050 |
| 11 | Appleton | $86,680 | $41.67 | -11% | 2,310 |
| 12 | Green Bay | $84,700 | $40.72 | -13% | 4,680 |
| 13 | Sheboygan | $84,240 | $40.50 | -13% | 1,130 |
| 14 | Kenosha | $83,110 | $39.96 | -15% | 1,730 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $95,530
Is Milwaukee a good place to work as an RN?
RN pay in Milwaukee sits close to the national figure: $97,360 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area, about 27 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Milwaukee, WI?
- A typical RN in Milwaukee earns $97,360 a year, or $46.81 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $78,730 and the top 10% earn over $119,490.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Milwaukee?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Milwaukee is $46.81. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.85, and the top 10% earn over $57.45 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Milwaukee?
- Entry-level RN positions in Milwaukee typically offer around $37.85 an hour, or $78,730 a year.
- Is RN pay in Milwaukee higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Milwaukee pay is 2% above the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 a year, ranking 4th of 14 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $103,040.