Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI

Table 1 compares the top 100 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI, ranked by annual average salary. For each job, the table displays the number of employees with that job, as well as the job's entry-level salary. (The entry-level salary is calculated based on the 10% of paid workers with the lowest salaries.)

Based on the table, we see that the highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI are those of general pediatrician, with an average annual salary of $227,560. The second highest-paying jobs are those of nurse anesthetists, with an average salary of $226,180.

All of the shown salary and employment information for Madison, WI has been computed using data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April 2023. Notably, the highest-paying occupations change from year to year. Tables 2, 3, and 4 show the top 10 highest-paying occupations in Madison, WI in 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Table 1. Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI (2022 survey)

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	No. of Empl i
1	General Pediatricians	$227,560	$80,990	150
2	Nurse Anesthetists	$226,180	$214,880	150
3	Psychiatrists	$199,200	$132,150	100
4	Chief Executives	$175,080	$79,580	560
5	General Dentists	$163,840	$120,000	280
6	Natural Sciences Managers	$143,230	$98,500	610
7	Computer and Information Research Scientists	$139,970	$67,490	50
8	Postsecondary Economics Teachers	$139,760	$65,570	70
9	Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers	$137,900	$78,940	150
10	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$137,830	$102,810	1,390
11	Sales Managers	$133,410	$61,950	940
12	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$133,200	$102,800	590
13	Financial Managers	$132,900	$85,630	1,420
14	Human Resources Managers	$132,000	$91,740	500
15	Pharmacists	$131,230	$95,510	880
16	Database Architects	$130,000	$85,020	280
17	Marketing Managers	$129,370	$95,950	430
18	Medical and Health Services Managers	$127,990	$80,230	760
19	Optometrists	$127,950	$87,940	130
20	Physician Assistants	$127,330	$105,060	390
21	Postsecondary Education Administrators	$127,020	$89,650	520
22	Nurse Practitioners	$126,100	$107,850	640
23	Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers	$125,470	$74,410	130
24	Purchasing Managers	$119,790	$89,200	110
25	Obstetricians and Gynecologists	$119,490	$62,360	90
26	General and Operations Managers	$113,780	$59,990	4,580
27	Facilities Managers	$109,980	$47,990	190
28	Postsecondary Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers	$109,540	$56,620	70
29	Computer Programmers	$109,450	$71,480	1,040
30	Industrial Production Managers	$108,650	$78,610	580
31	Postsecondary Chemistry Teachers	$108,420	$54,620	140
32	Postsecondary Mathematical Science Teachers	$107,730	$51,520	190
33	Postsecondary Business Teachers	$107,090	$63,290	250
34	Information Security Analysts	$106,790	$63,820	510
35	Postsecondary History Teachers	$106,690	$49,040	70
36	Actuaries	$105,990	$41,690	140
37	Administrative Services Managers	$105,640	$74,550	940
38	Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers	$105,490	$40,930	160
39	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$105,010	$63,590	1,460
40	All Other Managers	$104,440	$61,450	1,600
41	Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$104,430	$65,080	380
42	Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators	$103,930	$69,700	400
43	Training and Development Managers	$103,500	$77,110	90
44	Public Relations Managers	$103,450	$84,450	150
45	First-Line Supervisors of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers	$103,400	$42,580	40
46	Lawyers	$103,190	$58,330	1,750
47	Fundraising Managers	$102,870	$72,970	50
48	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$102,820	$62,190	360
49	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$102,440	$74,360	160
50	All Other Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners	$101,900	$72,820	100
51	Construction Managers	$101,760	$65,290	840
52	Personal Financial Advisors	$101,220	$38,010	680
53	Veterinarians	$101,150	$78,330	380
54	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	$100,770	$45,980	90
55	Computer Network Architects	$100,370	$64,170	610
56	Software Developers	$100,320	$62,500	4,960
57	Postsecondary Philosophy and Religion Teachers	$100,310	$51,080	40
58	Financial Risk Specialists	$99,820	$58,490	50
59	Other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers	$99,500	$57,760	90
60	Electronics Engineers (Non Computer)	$98,490	$47,330	130
61	Postsecondary Vocational Education Teachers	$98,420	$59,980	380
62	Biomedical Engineers	$98,390	$77,050	130
63	Financial Analysts	$97,910	$54,870	810
64	Computer Hardware Engineers	$97,440	$81,410	150
65	Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	$97,240	$81,610	190
66	Sales Engineers	$96,920	$51,820	350
67	Web and Digital Interface Designers	$96,870	$52,940	310
68	Audiologists	$95,950	$64,870	40
69	Physical Therapists	$95,530	$61,480	730
70	Electrical Engineers	$95,360	$72,580	670
71	Project Management Specialists	$93,000	$59,790	2,880
72	Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$92,010	$64,480	260
73	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	$90,060	$43,820	300
74	Nuclear Medicine Technologists	$89,840	$75,200	30
75	Art Directors	$89,460	$50,540	100
76	Postsecondary Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers	$87,650	$49,360	80
77	Chemical Engineers	$87,580	$64,510	150
78	Computer Systems Analysts	$86,650	$58,610	2,830
79	Postsecondary Biological Science Teachers	$85,950	$51,530	410
80	Data Scientists	$85,440	$33,820	900
81	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$85,050	$53,670	1,550
82	Postsecondary Agricultural Sciences Teachers	$85,030	$51,320	300
83	Postsecondary Communications Teachers	$84,910	$52,740	120
84	Other Postsecondary Social Sciences Teachers	$84,660	$49,450	150
85	Food Scientists and Technologists	$84,630	$63,330	110
86	Cartographers and Photogrammetrists	$84,550	$39,030	50
87	Statisticians	$84,540	$60,310	60
88	Genetic Counselors	$84,520	$78,970	40
89	Postsecondary Psychology Teachers	$83,720	$41,500	230
90	Other Physical Scientists	$83,530	$46,220	40
91	Operations Research Analysts	$83,450	$51,430	830
92	Mechanical Engineers	$83,390	$62,160	1,030
93	Postsecondary Foreign Language and Literature Teachers	$83,260	$51,570	120
94	Urban and Regional Planners	$83,250	$59,870	90
95	Materials Engineers	$83,200	$64,980	50
96	Occupational Health and Safety Specialists	$83,120	$54,720	110
97	Engineers, All Other	$83,050	$63,560	270
98	Real Estate Brokers	$82,840	$49,100	70
99	Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teachers	$82,380	$50,840	100
100	Database Administrators	$82,240	$53,110	330

Table 2. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI – 2021 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	General Dentists	$167,140
2	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$133,550
3	Sales Managers	$133,350
4	Pharmacists	$132,910
5	Financial Managers	$132,500
6	Marketing Managers	$132,260
7	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$131,820
8	Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers	$130,950
9	Optometrists	$128,400
10	Natural Sciences Managers	$128,300

Table 3. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI – 2020 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Nurse Anesthetists	$199,460
2	Chief Executives	$188,810
3	Pharmacists	$136,220
4	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$136,030
5	Financial Managers	$134,580
6	Sales Managers	$130,820
7	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$126,830
8	Postsecondary Computer Science Teachers	$121,440
9	Marketing Managers	$121,380
10	Physician Assistants	$120,040

Table 4. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Madison, WI – 2019 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Psychiatrists	$199,200
2	Nurse Anesthetists	$194,690
3	All Other Physicians; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	$185,760
4	Chief Executives	$166,780
5	Pharmacists	$140,220
6	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$130,640
7	Financial Managers	$125,850
8	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$122,590
9	Sales Managers	$120,920
10	Compensation and Benefits Managers	$119,740

Also see The most popular jobs in Madison, WI.

Also see The most popular jobs in Wisconsin, The top paying jobs in Wisconsin.