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Registered Nurses Salary in Wisconsin

What Registered Nurses earn in Wisconsin, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 10 counties.

Average in WI
$97,476
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
17 of 43
published states
Workers in state
113,950
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
3
10 counties

Pay by labor market in Wisconsin

Registered Nurses pay by wage area in Wisconsin
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$103,040$76,731$52,444St. Croix County, WI
Madison, WI$101,190$75,527$51,864Dane County, WI
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$97,360$73,036$53,153Milwaukee County, WI

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Registered Nurses in Wisconsin counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Green County, WI$101,190$75,527$58,692
2Iowa County, WI$101,190$75,527$58,332
3Columbia County, WI$101,190$75,527$57,948
4Milwaukee County, WI$97,360$73,036$53,153
5Waukesha County, WI$97,360$73,036$53,153
6Washington County, WI$97,360$73,036$53,153
7Ozaukee County, WI$97,360$73,036$53,153
8St. Croix County, WI$103,040$76,731$52,444
9Pierce County, WI$103,040$76,731$52,444
10Dane County, WI$101,190$75,527$51,864

Registered Nurses pay in Wisconsin

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Registered Nurses in Wisconsin is $97,476, based on 113,950 workers. Among the 43 states with published data, that ranks number 17. The BLS national median for the occupation is $97,550, so Wisconsin averages 0.1% below it.

Inside Wisconsin, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $103,040 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area and the lowest is $97,360 in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, a difference of $5,680 across 3 wage areas.

Cost of living for Registered Nurses in Wisconsin

We compare 10 Wisconsin counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Green County, WI leaves the largest yearly margin, $58,692. Dane County, WI leaves the smallest, $51,864. The median wage covers all four basics in 10 of the 10 counties.

Registered Nurses in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Registered Nurses are California ($151,152), Oregon ($126,881), Washington ($123,996) and New Jersey ($113,690).

Frequently asked questions: Registered Nurses in Wisconsin

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Wisconsin?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $97,476, from $97,360 to $103,040 depending on the labor market.

Which Wisconsin county is best for Registered Nurses?

Green County, WI leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($58,692). Iowa County, WI follows at $58,332.