Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary
The median pay for a shoe and leather workers and repairers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $46,210/year ($22.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $47,669 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,338/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 shoe and leather workers and repairers
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What this looks like in Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha sits well above the national pay line for shoe and leather workers and repairers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,338/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for shoe and leather workers and repairers in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $46K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level shoe and leather workers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $53K | +39% | 330 |
| Washington | $48K | +28% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +24% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +23% | 500 |
| Arizona | $46K | +20% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $44K | +16% | 460 |
| Illinois | $44K | +16% | 200 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +14% | 200 |
| New York | $42K | +11% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $41K | +8% | 30 |
| Idaho | $40K | +6% | 40 |
| Utah | $39K | +2% | 70 |
| Missouri | $39K | +2% | 240 |
| California | $38K | +1% | 510 |
| Maine | $38K | +1% | 160 |
| North Carolina | $38K | +1% | 300 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 70 |
| Indiana | $37K | -3% | 80 |
| Colorado | $36K | -4% | 60 |
| Alabama | $36K | -5% | 60 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 120 |
| Michigan | $36K | -5% | 150 |
| Florida | $36K | -6% | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -8% | 120 |
| Georgia | $32K | -14% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $31K | -19% | 30 |
| Texas | $31K | -19% | 1,860 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -30% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 28 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track shoe and leather workers and repairers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a shoe and leather workers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shoe and leather workers and repairers in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shoe and leather workers and repairers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,079/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shoe and leather workers and repairer a high-paying job in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $46K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for shoe and leather workers and repairers?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do shoe and leather workers and repairers make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $46,210 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,650, and experienced shoe and leather workers and repairers can clear $53,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,147/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 42.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a shoe and leather workers and repairers salary go in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 shoe and leather workers and repairers salary is worth about $47,669 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shoe and leather workers and repairers 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.