WI · Milwaukee · Updated October 15, 2026

Registered Nurse jobs in Milwaukee, WI

The median registered nurse pay in the Milwaukee area is $40.38 per hour ($83,990 a year), with the typical range running from $38.35 to $48.76. 9 open roles with published pay are listed for Milwaukee. The CMS hospital directory lists 8 hospitals in Milwaukee. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Milwaukee.

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Open Registered Nurse roles in Milwaukee

More open Registered Nurse roles in Milwaukee

51 more open roles from employers in Milwaukee. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted yesterday

Registered Nurse PACU

Ascension Health · Milwaukee, WI

Pay range with your report
  • Full Time
  • Req 1317497
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Registered Nurse

Ascension Health · Milwaukee, WI

Pay range with your report
  • Full Time
  • Req 1287734
New this week
View role

All Registered Nurse jobs in Wisconsin

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Named employers near Milwaukee, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring registered nurses near Milwaukee

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Veterans Health Administration5$52.90
Advocate Health4$44.38

Registered Nurse pay in Milwaukee, WI

The metro median is 2% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $41.38 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 21,950 registered nurses employed in the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area, 26.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.26).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$35.18$73,17022% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$38.35$79,77015% below U.S. median
Median$40.38$83,99010% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$48.76$101,4208% above U.S. median
Top 10%$51.73$107,60015% above U.S. median

How Milwaukee ranks

  • 159th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 224th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
  • 5th of 12 Wisconsin metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Milwaukee

  • Overall prices in Milwaukee-Waukesha run 3% below the U.S. average (index 96.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.1).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $40.38 median hour buys what $41.66 buys at the national price level, 7% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Milwaukee paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,454
  • Per year: $72,684
  • Per month: $6,057

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Milwaukee

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$140
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,540
13-week assignment$20,020

Travel registered nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Milwaukee

CMS lists 8 hospitals in Milwaukee, 2 of the 6 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital
Milwaukee, WI		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Aurora St Lukes Medical Center
Milwaukee, WI		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Ascension Columbia St Marys Hospital Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Ascension St Francis Hospital
Milwaukee, WI		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
Milwaukee, WI		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Milwaukee Va Medical Center
Milwaukee, WI		Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes
Childrens Hospital Of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI		Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Mental Health Emergency Center, Inc
Milwaukee, WI		PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Milwaukee County

HRSA lists 11 active primary care shortage designations that include Milwaukee County (1 geographic, 2 population-group, 8 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 21 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
West Allis, WI5 mi$40.38/hr59,784
Waukesha, WI15 mi$40.38/hr71,461
Racine, WI25 mi$38.96/hr78,057
Kenosha, WI33 mi$40.63/hr99,578
Waukegan, IL48 mi$46.38/hr88,570
Janesville, WI59 mi$40.68/hr66,428

Registered Nurse jobs in Wisconsin · Registered Nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Wisconsin license by endorsement.

Wisconsin taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Wisconsin state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Milwaukee

Milwaukee city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do registered nurses make in Milwaukee, WI?

Registered Nurses in the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area have a median pay of $40.38 per hour, about $83,990 a year. The middle half earn between $38.35 and $48.76 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Milwaukee a good place for registered nurses once cost of living is counted?

Milwaukee-Waukesha ranks 224th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 159th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 3% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring registered nurses in Milwaukee?

We list 9 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in Milwaukee. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Milwaukee.

Do I need a Wisconsin license to work in Milwaukee as a registered nurse?

Wisconsin is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an RN or LPN/LVN with a multistate license from another compact state can work here without a new license. Nurses whose home state is not in the compact apply for a Wisconsin license by endorsement. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Milwaukee in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 11 active primary care shortage designations that include Milwaukee County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Milwaukee?

The federal per diem benchmark in Milwaukee is $140 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,540 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place registered nurses in Milwaukee?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Milwaukee.

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What do employers near Milwaukee pay registered nurses? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · RN near Milwaukee, WI
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportMilwaukee, WI · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Veterans Health AdministrationMilwaukee, WI · 13 postings$52.90/ hr$34–$74
  • Advocate HealthMilwaukee, WI · 27 postings$44.38/ hr$36–$57
  • Essentia HealthSuperior, WI · 2 postings$56.95/ hr$45–$69
  • Select MedicalMadison, WI · 3 postings$51.43/ hr$34–$60

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$34Median$45.50High$56

147 RN postings with published pay in Wisconsin, 118 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 147 RN roles

  1. Float Pool RN (Night Shift)Permanent
    $86k–$149k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Madison, WI · posted today
  2. Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental HealthPermanent
    $72k–$152k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Madison, WI · posted today

+ 145 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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