How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Milwaukee, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs 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 Surgical Tech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin earns $35.98 per hour, or $74,830 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,236 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $61,290, and the top 10% of earners make over $86,670.
That pay is 1% above the Wisconsin figure of $74,120 and 16% above the national figure of $64,650. Milwaukee ranks 4th of 11 metro areas in Wisconsin for Surgical Tech pay. About 610 Surgical Techs 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.
Surgical Tech pay in Milwaukee at a glance
- Typical pay is $35.98 an hour, or $74,830 a year.
- That is 1% above the Wisconsin figure, ranking 4th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $61,290; the top 10% make over $86,670.
- Typical pay rose +33% from 2015 to 2025, against +49% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Milwaukee?
Pay in Milwaukee runs from entry-level positions at around $29.47 an hour to more than $41.67 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Milwaukee
| Career stage | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $61,290$29.47 an hour | $59,410$28.56 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $64,270$30.90 an hour | $63,030$30.30 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $74,830$35.98 an hour | $74,120$35.64 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $80,600$38.75 an hour | $79,010$37.99 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $86,670$41.67 an hour | $86,670$41.67 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Milwaukee · Waukesha area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Milwaukee
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Milwaukee was $56,160 a year. By 2025 it had reached $74,830, a change of +33%, compared with +49% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Milwaukee compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays Surgical Techs the most in Wisconsin at $82,000 a year, $7,170 more than Milwaukee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kenosha at $60,090.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Milwaukee | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $82,000 | $39.43 | +10% | 1,080 |
| 2 | Madison | $75,930 | $36.51 | +1% | 330 |
| 3 | Eau Claire | $74,900 | $36.01 | 0% | 70 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $74,830 | $35.98 | this city | 610 |
| 5 | Janesville metro incl. Beloit | $74,360 | $35.75 | -1% | 60 |
| 6 | Green Bay | $73,120 | $35.16 | -2% | 240 |
| 7 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $71,890 | $34.56 | -4% | 50 |
| 8 | Wausau | $69,430 | $33.38 | -7% | 90 |
| 9 | Appleton | $67,220 | $32.32 | -10% | 100 |
| 10 | Sheboygan | $65,070 | $31.29 | -13% | 30 |
| 11 | Kenosha | $60,090 | $28.89 | -20% | 50 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $74,120
Is Milwaukee a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Milwaukee earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $74,830 a year, 16% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Milwaukee · Waukesha area, about 0.7 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. Surgical Tech jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Tech make in Milwaukee, WI?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Milwaukee earns $74,830 a year, or $35.98 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $61,290 and the top 10% earn over $86,670.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Milwaukee?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Milwaukee is $35.98. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $29.47, and the top 10% earn over $41.67 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Milwaukee?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Milwaukee typically offer around $29.47 an hour, or $61,290 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Milwaukee higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Milwaukee pay is 1% above the Wisconsin figure of $74,120 a year, ranking 4th of 11 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $82,000.