Financial Managers salary in Madison, WI
Median pay for financial managers in Madison, WI: $140,410/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $96,730 – $235,620 · about 1,660 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($131,810) by +$8,600 (+7%).
What it's really worth in Madison
With Madison's cost of living at 96 (US=100), that $140,410 has the buying power of about $146,361 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $82,996 · median home $452,769 · median rent $1,683/mo.
How Madison ranks for this job
On raw pay, Madison, WI is 48th of the 187 metros we hold financial managers wages for. Once Madison's cost of living is applied, it ranks 46th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Madison sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Madison
A median home in Madison, WI costs $452,769 — about 3.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,683/mo works out at 14% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where financial managers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Madison.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Madison | Rent vs Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $215,630 | +54% | 2.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $211,850 | +51% | 2.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $203,620 | +45% | 1.9× |
| Boulder, CO | $176,880 | +26% | 1.3× |
Same job elsewhere in WI
| Metro | Median pay | vs Madison | Rent vs Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | $135,880 | −3% | 0.9× |
| Green Bay, WI | $129,470 | −8% | 0.7× |
| Appleton, WI | $129,170 | −8% | 0.7× |
Staying in WI keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires financial managers around Madison
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- UW Health · Healthcare
- American Family Insurance · Finance
Other jobs in Madison
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.