Industrial designer pay in Milwaukee, WI
Industrial designers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earn a typical $80,590 a year. The middle half earn $80,590 to $98,160, and the top 10% earn more than $125,570. About 450 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Commercial and Industrial Designers, SOC 27-1021).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $66,310 |
| 25th percentile | $80,590 |
| Median (typical) | $80,590 |
| 75th percentile | $98,160 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $125,570 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 30 of 48 large metros for industrial designers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $80,590, a single filer keeps about $62,600 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and Wisconsin state income tax. Prices in Milwaukee are 3% below the US average, so that take-home buys what $64,600 would in a typical US city. That ranks Milwaukee No. 23 of 48 large metros for industrial designers after cost of living.
Where industrial designers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$141,310 typical · worth $89.6k
- Austin, TX$100,520 typical · worth $81.1k
- Chicago, IL$112,950 typical · worth $80k
- Detroit, MI$108,180 typical · worth $77.8k
All 48 metros for industrial designers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among industrial designers in Milwaukee. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.)
Common questions
How much does a industrial designer make in Milwaukee, WI?
The typical (median) industrial designer in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earns $80,590 a year. The middle half earn between $80,590 and $98,160, and the top 10% earn more than $125,570. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a industrial designer in Milwaukee?
Anything above $80,590 pays more than half of industrial designers in Milwaukee. $98,160 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $125,570 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a industrial designer in Milwaukee take home after taxes?
At the typical $80,590, a single filer keeps about $62,600 a year ($5,220 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, Wisconsin state income tax. With local prices 3% below the US average, that buys what $64,600 would in a typical US city.
Where do industrial designers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 48 largest US metros, typical industrial designer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, Chicago, IL. Milwaukee, WI ranks No. 23.
More: Industrial designer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Milwaukee, WI
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.