METRO MILWAUKEE'S WORKFORCE ADVANTAGE

Discover the strength, range and opportunity in our labor market

Metro Milwaukee's workforce encompasses 814,950 workers across diverse industries, with particular strengths in manufacturing, healthcare, and business services. The region offers competitive wages with an overall median hourly wage of $23.30 and mean annual wage of $62,630 as of May 2023.

Production Occupation Workers

76,240

With a location quotient of 1.62, Milwaukee's manufacturing workforce is 62% more concentrated than the national average.

Healthcare Practitioners

59,370

Healthcare workers earn an average of $109,310 annually, making it one of Milwaukee's highest-paying sectors.

Business & Financial Operations

57,950

These professionals earn an average of $84,170 annually, supporting Milwaukee's growing business services sector.

Labor Force and Employment Trends

Unemployment Trends

MILWAUKEE'S INDUSTRY SPECIALIZATIONS

Location quotient (LQ) measures the concentration of an occupation in Milwaukee compared to the national average. An LQ greater than 1.0 indicates Milwaukee has a higher concentration, revealing our competitive strengths.

Milwaukee Industry Specializations by Location Quotient

Employment data details

Employment Data

Occupation	Location Quotient	Employment	Annual Mean Wage
Print Binding and Finishing Workers	5.62	1,170	$41,450
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators	4.91	4,950	$55,940
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	4.73	710	$64,090
Foundry Mold and Coremakers	4.66	290	$48,930
Tool and Die Makers	4.21	1,310	$62,880
Actuaries	3.27	450	$147,900
Psychologists, All Other	3.25	250	$125,380
Molding, Coremaking, & Casting Machine Operators	3.22	2,740	$41,120

High-Wage Career Opportunities

Milwaukee offers numerous high-paying career paths across multiple industries, from healthcare and management to technical and manufacturing fields.

Milwaukee's Highest Paying Occupations

Highest paying healthcare occupations details

Milwaukee's Highest-Paying Healthcare Occupations

Rank	Occupation	Annual Mean Wage	Employment	Relation to Overall Mean Wage
1	Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric	$561,850	130	8.97x
2	Surgeons, All Other	$473,880	310	7.57x
3	General Internal Medicine Physicians	$352,850	300	5.63x
4	Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	$345,390	80	5.52x
5	Emergency Medicine Physicians	$328,060	630	5.24x
6	Nurse Anesthetists	$250,060	290	3.99x
7	Pediatricians, General	$248,330	100	3.97x

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2023

Highest paying non-healthcare occupations details

Milwaukee's Highest-Paying Non-Healthcare Occupations

Rank	Occupation	Annual Mean Wage	Employment	Relation to Overall Mean Wage
1	Chief Executives	$286,500	1,110	4.58x
2	Physicists	$169,780	40	2.71x
3	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$160,700	2,040	2.57x
4	Financial Managers	$156,730	3,740	2.50x
5	Personal Financial Advisors	$150,840	2,340	2.41x
6	Sales Engineers	$134,110	510	2.14x
7	Lawyers	$166,780	3,850	2.66x
8	Marketing Managers	$142,700	870	2.28x

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2023

Manufacturing Excellence

Milwaukee maintains its historic manufacturing strength with a diverse production workforce that's 62% more concentrated than the national average. The region specializes in precision manufacturing, metalworking, and advanced production techniques.

Advanced Manufacturing

With 4,950 CNC operators (LQ 4.91) and 710 CNC programmers (LQ 4.73), Milwaukee offers unparalleled expertise in precision manufacturing.

Metalworking Specialization

Milwaukee excels in metalworking with high concentrations of tool and die makers, machinists, welders, and metal workers.

Industrial Engineering

With a location quotient of 1.97 for industrial engineers and 2.13 for industrial engineering technicians, Milwaukee offers expertise in manufacturing process optimization.

Milwaukee's production workers earn an average of $48,890 annually, with specialized roles like tool and die makers and CNC programmers earning $62,880 and $64,090 respectively.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STRENGTH

Beyond manufacturing, Milwaukee boasts a robust professional services sector with significant employment in business, finance, healthcare, and IT.

Business & Financial

57,950 workers with an average annual wage of $84,170. Notable specializations include actuaries (LQ 3.27) and personal financial advisors (LQ 1.60).

Computer & Mathematical

25,060 professionals earning an average of $97,060 annually, with software developers averaging $113,280.

Healthcare Practitioners

59,370 healthcare workers earning an average of $109,310 annually, with physician specialties among the highest-paying occupations in the region.

Workforce by Occupation Groups

Milwaukee's diverse economy is reflected in its broad occupational distribution, providing stability and opportunity across economic cycles.

Milwaukee's Employment Distribution Across Occupation Groups

Occupational Group Data details

Occupation Group Data

Occupation Group	Employment	% of Workforce	Annual Mean Wage
Office and Administrative Support	96,990	11.90%	$47,480
Production	76,240	9.40%	$48,890
Transportation and Material Moving	72,420	8.90%	$44,170
Sales and Related	71,930	8.80%	$54,730
Food Preparation and Serving	66,240	8.10%	$32,280
Healthcare Practitioners	59,370	7.30%	$109,310
Business and Financial Operations	57,950	7.10%	$84,170
Educational Instruction	43,060	5.30%	$62,650

EMPLOYER RESOURCES

The MMAC offers numerous resources to help employers leverage Milwaukee's workforce advantages:

1. Workforce Development
   Connect with educational institutions and training programs to develop talent pipelines in your industry.
2. Talent Attraction
   Access resources for recruiting professionals to Milwaukee, including relocation assistance and quality of life information.
3. Labor Market Data
   Request custom workforce data analysis to support your business planning and expansion decisions.

WE ARE HERE. READY TO HELP.

Looking for more detailed information on Milwaukee's workforce?
Our experienced economic development professionals stand by to help you.

Rebecca Gries
Executive Director, Milwaukee 7
O: 414.287.4140   
C: 262/510-9938

Katie Mendenhall
Director of Corporate Expansion & Attraction, Milwaukee 7
O: 414/287-4143   
C: 703/297-7098

Jane Mullarkey
Manager of Corporate Attraction & Expansion, Milwaukee 7
414/287-4171

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2023