Question 1

What is the cost of living in Madison, WI?

Accepted Answer

Madison, WI's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 97.29, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 2.7% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,168/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Madison, WI?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Madison, WI, the average median wage is $130,596. The single highest-paying occupation here is Emergency Medicine Physicians at $340,150/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Madison?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Madison, WI are: 1) Emergency Medicine Physicians at $340,150; 2) General Internal Medicine Physicians at $329,670; 3) Physicians, All Other at $301,940; 4) Psychiatrists at $296,230; 5) Family Medicine Physicians at $291,000. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Madison?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Madison, WI is $1,168/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Madison data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
31	Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$132K	N/A
32	Medical and Health Services Managers	Management	$132K	$63.29/hr
33	Software Developers	Technology	$131K	$62.8/hr
34	Managers, All Other	Management	$129K	$62.18/hr
35	Optometrists	Healthcare	$128K	$61.65/hr
36	Compensation and Benefits Managers	Management	$128K	$61.38/hr
37	Industrial Production Managers	Management	$127K	$61.07/hr
38	General and Operations Managers	Management	$127K	$60.88/hr
39	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	Management	$126K	N/A
40	Purchasing Managers	Management	$126K	$60.66/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Madison, WI

Highest paying careers in Madison

Affordability snapshot: Madison