Electrician Salary
In La Crosse, WI, electricians earn $78,760 at the median, or about $37.87 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $85,823 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,343/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $79K actually covers in La Crosse-Onalaska, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electricians
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What this looks like in La Crosse-Onalaska
La Crosse-Onalaska sits well above the national pay line for electricians, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $1,343/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electricians in metros near La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $78K | $80K |
| Madison | $78K | $81K |
| Green Bay | $77K | $83K |
| Appleton | $67K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level electricians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Electricians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electricians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $101K | +60% | 10,590 |
| Illinois | $100K | +58% | 23,120 |
| Hawaii | $96K | +53% | 3,070 |
| Washington | $95K | +51% | 19,380 |
| Alaska | $89K | +42% | 1,870 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +26% | 17,810 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +25% | 2,440 |
| New York | $79K | +25% | 40,130 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +24% | 14,350 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +23% | 7,710 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +22% | 13,520 |
| Montana | $77K | +21% | 2,750 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | +21% | 14,310 |
| Michigan | $76K | +21% | 23,530 |
| California | $76K | +21% | 73,310 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +20% | 2,960 |
| Maine | $75K | +19% | 3,780 |
| Rhode Island | $74K | +17% | 2,420 |
| Nevada | $74K | +16% | 8,350 |
| Maryland | $73K | +16% | 13,690 |
| Indiana | $68K | +8% | 19,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $68K | +7% | 22,730 |
| Kansas | $66K | +4% | 6,350 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +4% | 3,570 |
| Missouri | $65K | +4% | 12,780 |
| West Virginia | $65K | +3% | 4,290 |
| Ohio | $65K | +2% | 28,950 |
| Delaware | $64K | +1% | 2,260 |
| Vermont | $63K | +0% | 1,270 |
| Idaho | $63K | -0% | 5,690 |
| Virginia | $63K | -0% | 23,630 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | -1% | 3,330 |
| Colorado | $62K | -2% | 17,010 |
| Utah | $62K | -2% | 11,450 |
| Louisiana | $62K | -3% | 10,550 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -3% | 2,980 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -3% | 17,070 |
| Arizona | $61K | -3% | 21,140 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -3% | 8,500 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -4% | 6,610 |
| Iowa | $61K | -4% | 10,310 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -4% | 6,440 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -5% | 11,030 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -7% | 8,010 |
| Texas | $59K | -7% | 76,770 |
| New Mexico | $58K | -8% | 5,020 |
| Georgia | $58K | -8% | 21,650 |
| Florida | $57K | -9% | 49,700 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -10% | 21,640 |
| Alabama | $56K | -12% | 10,900 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -22% | 7,500 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track electricians salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a electrician afford a 2BR apartment alone in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,343/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electricians in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electricians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,121/month. At HUD’s $1,343/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrician a high-paying job in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $79K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for electricians?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electricians make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $78,760 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,800, and experienced electricians can clear $108,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,056/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,343/month, which eats 26.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electricians salary go in La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electricians salary is worth about $85,823 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electricians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.