Skilled Wages

Lineman salary in Wisconsin

Median $50.88 an hour for 2,520 electrical power-line installers and repairers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$50.88/hrMedian hourly wageWisconsin, May data
$105,820/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$28.04 – $57.6210th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,520Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Lineman pay in Wisconsin: the full range

Wage percentiles, WisconsinMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$20$40$60$80/hrWisconsin: 10th $28.04 · 25th $39.50 · median $50.88 · 75th $53.92 · 90th $57.62Wisconsin$50.88$28.04$57.62United States: 10th $24.74 · 25th $32.34 · median $45.83 · 75th $52.76 · 90th $61.87United States$45.83
Hourly wage percentiles for electrical power-line installers and repairers: Wisconsin vs United States, May 2025.

Wisconsin ranks 17th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 11th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $54.07). 2,520 electrical power-line installers and repairers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$28.04 – $39.50$58,330 – $82,150roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$39.50 – $53.92$82,150 – $112,150the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$53.92 – $57.62$112,150 – $119,850the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Lineman pay by metro in Wisconsin

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrMilwaukee: $52.40Milwaukee$52.40Green Bay: $51.93Green Bay$51.93La Crosse: $51.64La Crosse$51.64Appleton: $51.62Appleton$51.62Minneapolis: $51.37Minneapolis$51.37Fond du Lac: $50.11Fond du Lac$50.11Madison: $50.11Madison$50.11Janesville: $49.79Janesville$49.79Oshkosh: $49.78Oshkosh$49.78Duluth: $48.88Duluth$48.88Sheboygan: $45.44Sheboygan$45.44
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers by metro area in Wisconsin, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Milwaukee$30.48$52.40$58.245303% above
Green Bay$28.23$51.93$56.631302% above
La Crosse$44.10$51.64$56.431101% above
Appleton$24.28$51.62$55.531601% above
Minneapolis$40.86$51.37$58.811,1301% above
Fond du Lac$36.03$50.11$54.62302% below
Madison$22.89$50.11$58.183602% below
Janesville$24.67$49.79$55.90602% below
Oshkosh$21.94$49.78$58.00402% below
Duluth$35.68$48.88$55.171704% below
Sheboygan$22.03$45.44$57.077011% below

Lineman wages in Wisconsin over time

Wisconsin, 1999-2025WisconsinUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$50.88Wisconsin$45.83United States
Median hourly wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers, Wisconsin vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWisconsin $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$22.07$42.65$20.971,210
2000$22.36$41.80$22.011,280
2001$22.01$40.01$22.701,520
2002$23.54$42.13$23.331,590
2003$23.29$40.75$23.542,040
2004$24.08$41.04$23.612,140
2005$25.41$41.89$24.112,680
2006$26.15$41.76$24.412,640
2007$27.03$41.97$25.272,670
2008$28.15$42.09$26.492,660
2009$28.66$43.01$27.242,390
2010$30.59$45.16$27.902,400
2011$32.13$45.99$28.942,550
2012$33.03$46.32$30.412,740
2013$32.83$45.37$30.852,280
2014$33.85$46.03$31.702,100
2015$34.92$47.43$31.952,200
2016$35.62$47.78$32.702,230
2017$37.36$49.07$33.361,960
2018$40.09$51.40$34.092,020
2019$40.73$51.29$34.862,110
2020$39.42$49.04$36.072,290
2021$46.36$55.08$37.652,250
2022$48.19$53.01$39.592,100
2023$49.21$51.99$41.072,150
2024$50.20$51.52$44.502,540
2025$50.88$50.88$45.832,520

In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Wisconsin changed by +7.3% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in Wisconsin?

167.3kConstruction jobsWisconsin, 2026-08
+7.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025167kAug 2026
Construction employment in Wisconsin (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Lineman pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Wisconsin

Questions this page answers

How much do linemans make in Wisconsin?

The median lineman in Wisconsin earned $50.88 an hour ($105,820 a year) in May 2025, 11% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $39.50–$53.92; the top 10% earn more than $57.62.

Where does Wisconsin rank for lineman pay?

Wisconsin ranks 17th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $50.88 an hour, and 11th after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.1, US = 100).

What is the union lineman rate in Wisconsin?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Wisconsin counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many linemans work in Wisconsin?

BLS counted 2,520 electrical power-line installers and repairers in Wisconsin in May 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.02; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Wisconsin and metro areas, SOC 49-9051.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.