Registered Nurses · Wisconsin

Registered Nurses Salary in Wisconsin

Registered Nurses in Wisconsin earn a median annual wage of $95,530 —2.1% below the national median of $97,550. That ranks WI #23 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$95,530
Median hourly
$45.93
Entry level (P10)
$77,470
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$119,860
90th percentile
Employment
68,060
23.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-2.1%
U.S. $97,550

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$77,470
$81,920
$95,530
$102,610
$77,470$95,530$119,860
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $95,530.

Employment concentration (1.06×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for registered nurses

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Wisconsin is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1California$140,270$67.44338,9400.86
2Hawaii$136,320$65.5412,9400.95
3Oregon$129,010$62.0239,7300.93
4Washington$124,200$59.7169,2600.90
5Alaska$109,480$52.647,5101.06
6New York$109,440$52.62205,8100.98
7New Jersey$106,500$51.2092,6800.99
8Massachusetts$104,550$50.2788,2001.12
9Nevada$103,670$49.8427,0700.80
10Connecticut$102,740$49.3940,1101.09

Related occupations in Wisconsin

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Wisconsin.

OccupationWisconsin medianU.S. median
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,760$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$45,970$45,750
Physicians, All Other$391,740$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,670$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$131,980$132,300
Pharmacists$148,740$140,910

Frequently asked questions

How much do registered nurses make in Wisconsin?

The median annual wage for registered nurses in Wisconsin is $95,530, or $45.93 per hour. That is 2.1% below the national median of $97,550.

What is the entry-level registered nurses salary in Wisconsin?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $77,470 per year ($37.24/hour). The 25th percentile is $81,920.

How many people work as registered nurses in Wisconsin?

About 68,060 people work in this occupation in Wisconsin, or 23.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Wisconsin a good state for registered nurses?

Wisconsin ranks #23 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.06x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays registered nurses the most?

California has the highest median wage at $140,270 per year, followed by Hawaii ($136,320) and Oregon ($129,010).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes