Epidemiologists Salary
In Madison, WI, epidemiologists earn $88,770 at the median, or about $42.68 an hour. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $91,243 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $89K actually covers in Madison, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 epidemiologists
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What this looks like in Madison
Epidemiologists pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $89K locally vs. $87K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for epidemiologists in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $104K | $100K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $104K | $100K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level epidemiologists (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Epidemiologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Epidemiologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $116K | +33% | 660 |
| District of Columbia | $112K | +29% | 90 |
| California | $111K | +27% | 1,480 |
| New Jersey | $110K | +26% | 290 |
| Washington | $108K | +24% | 1,010 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +20% | 310 |
| Illinois | $103K | +18% | 240 |
| Maryland | $102K | +17% | 600 |
| Nevada | $100K | +15% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $97K | +12% | 220 |
| Oregon | $94K | +7% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $89K | +2% | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $88K | +1% | 360 |
| Michigan | $85K | -3% | 280 |
| Virginia | $85K | -3% | 220 |
| North Carolina | $85K | -3% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $85K | -3% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $84K | -4% | 160 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -5% | 80 |
| New York | $80K | -8% | 670 |
| New Mexico | $80K | -8% | 80 |
| Iowa | $80K | -8% | 90 |
| Kansas | $80K | -9% | 70 |
| Montana | $80K | -9% | 100 |
| Florida | $79K | -9% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -10% | 120 |
| Indiana | $77K | -11% | 170 |
| Texas | $77K | -12% | 1,160 |
| Utah | $77K | -12% | 190 |
| Hawaii | $77K | -12% | 70 |
| Ohio | $76K | -12% | 300 |
| Alabama | $75K | -14% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -15% | 120 |
| Colorado | $74K | -15% | 430 |
| Oklahoma | $73K | -17% | 120 |
| Georgia | $71K | -19% | 510 |
| West Virginia | $71K | -19% | 100 |
| Maine | $69K | -21% | 60 |
| Arizona | $67K | -23% | 340 |
| Missouri | $67K | -23% | 120 |
| Idaho | $66K | -24% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -35% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track epidemiologists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Madison numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a epidemiologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for epidemiologists in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new epidemiologists typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,362/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is epidemiologist a high-paying job in Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $89K locally vs. $87K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for epidemiologists?
Madison pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $87K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do epidemiologists make in Madison, WI?
The median is $88,770 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,410, and experienced epidemiologists can clear $125,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,598/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 20.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a epidemiologists salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 epidemiologists salary is worth about $91,243 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do epidemiologists 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.