How Much Does an RN Make in Wausau, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs in Wausau, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Wausau metro area
A typical RN in Wausau, Wisconsin earns $42.88 per hour, or $89,190 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,433 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,380, and the top 10% of earners make over $115,210.
That pay is 7% below the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 and 9% below the national figure of $97,550. Wausau ranks 8th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for RN pay. About 1,830 RNs work in the Wausau area.
RN pay in Wausau at a glance
- Typical pay is $42.88 an hour, or $89,190 a year.
- That is 7% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $77,380; the top 10% make over $115,210.
- 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 Wausau?
Pay in Wausau runs from entry-level positions at around $37.20 an hour to more than $55.39 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Wausau
| Career stage | Wausau | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $77,380$37.20 an hour | $77,470$37.24 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $79,840$38.39 an hour | $81,920$39.39 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $89,190$42.88 an hour | $95,530$45.93 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $95,900$46.11 an hour | $102,610$49.33 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $115,210$55.39 an hour | $119,860$57.63 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Wausau area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Wausau
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Wausau area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Wausau was $62,090 a year. By 2025 it had reached $89,190, a change of +44%, compared with +47% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Wausau compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays RNs the most in Wisconsin at $103,040 a year, $13,850 more than Wausau. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kenosha at $83,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Wausau | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $103,040 | $49.54 | +16% | 43,600 |
| 2 | Madison | $101,190 | $48.65 | +13% | 10,650 |
| 3 | La Crosse metro incl. Onalaska | $98,370 | $47.29 | +10% | 2,920 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $97,360 | $46.81 | +9% | 22,400 |
| 5 | Fond du Lac | $93,890 | $45.14 | +5% | 960 |
| 6 | Eau Claire | $93,410 | $44.91 | +5% | 2,420 |
| 7 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $93,030 | $44.72 | +4% | 1,680 |
| 8 | Wausau | $89,190 | $42.88 | this city | 1,830 |
| 9 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $89,090 | $42.83 | 0% | 1,510 |
| 10 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $87,340 | $41.99 | -2% | 2,050 |
| 11 | Appleton | $86,680 | $41.67 | -3% | 2,310 |
| 12 | Green Bay | $84,700 | $40.72 | -5% | 4,680 |
| 13 | Sheboygan | $84,240 | $40.50 | -6% | 1,130 |
| 14 | Kenosha | $83,110 | $39.96 | -7% | 1,730 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $95,530
Is Wausau a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Wausau earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $89,190 a year, 9% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Wausau area, about 26 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 Wausau, WI?
- A typical RN in Wausau earns $89,190 a year, or $42.88 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $77,380 and the top 10% earn over $115,210.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Wausau?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Wausau is $42.88. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.20, and the top 10% earn over $55.39 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Wausau?
- Entry-level RN positions in Wausau typically offer around $37.20 an hour, or $77,380 a year.
- Is RN pay in Wausau higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Wausau pay is 7% below the Wisconsin figure of $95,530 a year, ranking 8th of 14 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $103,040.