Taxi Drivers Salary
In Wisconsin, taxi drivers earn $27,820 at the median, or about $13.37 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $29,492 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 61.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $28K get you in Wisconsin?
About taxi drivers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for taxi drivers in Wisconsin runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 60.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for taxi driverss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level taxi drivers (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Taxi Drivers salary by metro in Wisconsin
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $29K | +3% | 140 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $28K | +0% | 70 |
| Eau Claire | $26K | -5% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track taxi drivers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a taxi driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 60.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for taxi drivers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new taxi drivers typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,416/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is taxi driver a high-paying job in Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $28K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for taxi drivers?
Wisconsin pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do taxi drivers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $27,820 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,600, and experienced taxi drivers can clear $36,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,989/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 60.4% 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 taxi drivers salary go in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 taxi drivers salary is worth about $29,492 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do taxi drivers 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.