Industrial Engineer Salary in Milwaukee, WI
Industrial Engineers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earn a median $100,020 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $75,274 take-home, or $6,273 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial engineer salary in Milwaukee, WI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$13,174
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,201
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,450
- Wisconsin income tax$3,921
- Take-home pay$75,274
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Engineer pay by experience in Milwaukee, WI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $75,600 | $36.35 | $59,388 | $4,949 |
| 25th percentile | $80,900 | $38.89 | $62,836 | $5,236 |
| Median (50th) | $100,020 | $48.09 | $75,274 | $6,273 |
| 75th percentile | $124,290 | $59.75 | $91,011 | $7,584 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $134,050 | $64.45 | $97,165 | $8,097 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Wisconsin resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $100,020 buys in Milwaukee, WI
Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 3% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median industrial engineer's $75,274 take-home pay has the buying power of $77,652 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Milwaukee, WI has 2.0× the national concentration of industrial engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for industrial engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Milwaukee, WI ranks #20 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $131,210 | $100,948 | $90,835 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $111,690 | $87,404 | $88,619 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $136,950 | $94,584 | $85,656 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $129,890 | $89,487 | $84,886 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $105,140 | $80,687 | $84,604 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $103,610 | $81,720 | $83,331 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $99,300 | $76,739 | $81,704 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $100,570 | $77,598 | $81,281 |
| 20 | Milwaukee, WI | $100,020 | $75,274 | $77,652 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: industrial engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.4% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial engineer make in Milwaukee, WI?
The median industrial engineer salary in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area is $100,020 a year, or about $48.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,900 and $124,290.
What is a industrial engineer’s take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI?
On the median $100,020 salary, a single filer living in Wisconsin takes home about $75,274 a year ($6,273 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,921 in Wisconsin taxes in 2026.
Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to work as a industrial engineer?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $102,440. Local prices are 3.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $77,652 would in a typical U.S. city. Milwaukee, WI ranks #20 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial engineer afford rent in Milwaukee, WI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Milwaukee, WI is $1,119 a month ($1,338 for two bedrooms) — 18% of a median industrial engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.