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Madison, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a retail salesperson make in Madison, WI?

In the Madison, WI metropolitan area, retail salespersons earned a median of $35,830 a year ($17.23 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 8,330 of these jobs there. That is 38% below the $58,080 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,310 and $49,190; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,091 in take-home pay.

Retail salesperson pay in Madison, WI at a glance

Median salary

$35,830$17.23 per hour · $2,986 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,310$13.61/hr
25th percentile$30,030$14.44/hr
75th percentile$38,970$18.74/hr
90th percentile$49,190$23.65/hr
Jobs in this metro8,330Location quotient 0.81 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% belowAll-jobs median $58,080
Against Wisconsin4% aboveStatewide median $34,480
Against the U.S.1% aboveNational median $35,410

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.

Take-home payWhat $36,000 a year leaves after tax in WisconsinFederal tax, FICA and Wisconsin withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $36,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $36,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Wisconsin publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Wisconsin.

Retail salesperson salary in Madison, WI after taxes

$35,830
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,830
Net 84%
Fed 6%
WI 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,091After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,508Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,157Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,120 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$878 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,741 / yr
Customize deductions in full Wisconsin calculator

Retail salespersons pay range in Madison, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What retail salespersons earned in the Madison, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$13.61/hr$2,359$28,310$24,411
25th percentile$14.44/hr$2,503$30,030$25,716
MedianMedian$17.23/hr$2,986$35,830$30,091
75th percentile$18.74/hr$3,248$38,970$32,459
90th percentile$23.65/hr$4,099$49,190$40,167

Is $35,830 a good salary in Madison, WI?

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

Median household income$88,804Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.32.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.3%of area median income

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

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Retail salespersons pay in other Wisconsin metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Madison, WI. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Retail salesperson pay in Madison, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for retail salespersons in Madison, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for retail salespersons in the Madison, WI metro area was $35,830 in May 2025, about $2,986 a month or $17.23 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $34,480, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for retail salespersons in Madison, WI?

The median hourly wage for retail salespersons in Madison, WI was $17.23 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.61 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.65.

How many retail salespersons work in Madison, WI?

BLS estimated 8,330 jobs for retail salespersons in the metro in May 2025, or 20.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.81 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for retail salespersons in Madison, WI?

BLS wage estimates for retail salespersons in Madison, WI run from $28,310 at the 10th percentile to $30,030 at the 25th, $38,970 at the 75th, and $49,190 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do retail salespersons take home after taxes in Madison, WI?

On a median gross salary of $35,830, an estimated $30,091 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,157 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,739 (an effective rate of 16%).

How much do retail salespersons make per month in Madison, WI?

On the median annual salary of $35,830, gross monthly income is $2,986. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,508 per month (or $1,157 every two weeks).

Is $35,830 a good salary in Madison, WI?

At $35,830, the median salary for retail salespersons is 40.3% of the Madison, WI median household income ($88,804). It is 38% below the $58,080 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.3, so prices here run 2.7% below the U.S. average.