Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a receptionist make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, receptionists earned a median of $42,920 a year ($20.64 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,200 of these jobs there. That is 16% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,900 and $51,820; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,438 in take-home pay.

Receptionist pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at a glance

Median salary

$42,920$20.64 per hour · $3,577 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,900$14.38/hr
25th percentile$36,380$17.49/hr
75th percentile$47,740$22.95/hr
90th percentile$51,820$24.92/hr
Jobs in this metro7,200Location quotient 1.50 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here16% belowAll-jobs median $51,160
Against Wisconsin4% aboveStatewide median $41,150
Against the U.S.13% aboveNational median $38,010

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Receptionist salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes

$42,920
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$42,920
Net 83%
Fed 7%
WI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,438After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,953Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,363Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,970 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$1,228 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,283 / yr

Receptionists pay range in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What receptionists earned in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$14.38/hr$2,492$29,900$25,618
25th percentile$17.49/hr$3,032$36,380$30,506
MedianMedian$20.64/hr$3,577$42,920$35,438
75th percentile$22.95/hr$3,978$47,740$39,074
90th percentile$24.92/hr$4,318$51,820$42,151

Is $42,920 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for receptionists next to both.

Median household income$78,218Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household54.9%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Receptionist pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for receptionists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for receptionists in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area was $42,920 in May 2025, about $3,577 a month or $20.64 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $41,150, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for receptionists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The median hourly wage for receptionists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was $20.64 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.38 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.92.

How many receptionists work in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS estimated 7,200 jobs for receptionists in the metro in May 2025, or 8.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.50 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for receptionists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS wage estimates for receptionists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run from $29,900 at the 10th percentile to $36,380 at the 25th, $47,740 at the 75th, and $51,820 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do receptionists take home after taxes in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On a median gross salary of $42,920, an estimated $35,438 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,363 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,482 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do receptionists make per month in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On the median annual salary of $42,920, gross monthly income is $3,577. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,953 per month (or $1,363 every two weeks).

Is $42,920 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

At $42,920, the median salary for receptionists is 54.9% of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI median household income ($78,218). It is 16% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.