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What to Pay a Certified Nursing Assistant in Milwaukee, WI (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$44,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$38K–$51K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.9%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~21
Milwaukee metro average
To hire a Certified Nursing Assistant in Milwaukee at market, plan on a base salary range of $38,000 to $51,000, with $44,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 21 days, expect to lead at $51K–$58K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Wisconsin does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your CNA pay range in Milwaukee

Three pay positions, modeled against current Milwaukee market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$33K–$38K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Milwaukee average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$41.6K–$46.8K
Default for most Milwaukee employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~21 days. A range width of ~30% (min $38,000 to max $51,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a CNA's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$48.2K–$58K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

CNA salary percentile distribution in Milwaukee, WI

Where the Milwaukee market actually sits for CNA base pay.

10th $33K
25th $38K
Median $44K
75th $51K
90th $58K

Most Milwaukee employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($44,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $38,000 and a max of $51,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Wisconsin pay transparency compliance for CNA job postings

What you must post when hiring a CNA in Wisconsin.

Not required statewide. Wisconsin has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a CNA role in Milwaukee, a compliant good-faith range looks like $38,000 to $51,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $38,000–$51,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top CNA employers in Milwaukee — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring CNAs in the Milwaukee metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Aurora Advocate Health Integrated health system $39K–$50K Very common ($2K–$4K)
Froedtert Health Academic medical center $39K–$50K Very common ($2K–$4K)
Ascension Wisconsin Health system $39K–$50K Very common ($2K–$4K)
ProHealth Care Health system $39K–$50K Very common ($2K–$4K)
Brookdale Senior Living SNF / assisted living $35K–$45K Very common ($3K–$5K)

CNA talent supply and hiring difficulty in Milwaukee

How hard is it to fill a CNA role in Milwaukee.

~21
Avg Days to Fill
~1,400
Active Postings
~18,200
Milwaukee CNA Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Milwaukee CNA market reflects local SNF/LTC demand and hospital support role hiring.

Skill premiums CNA candidates command in Milwaukee, WI

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Bilingual Spanish +3–6% High
Dementia / memory care +4–6% Very high
Hospice / palliative care +4–6% High
Restorative + lift cert +3–5% High

CNA total compensation in Milwaukee — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for CNAs in Milwaukee. "Prevalence" reflects share of Milwaukee disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Milwaukee Postings
Base salary $44,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +10–16% premium ~80%
Sign-on bonus $2K–$4K ~52%
Overtime opportunity $4K–$10K annualized ~88%
Tuition reimbursement (LPN bridge) $2,000–$4,500/yr ~34%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$54K–$64K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

CNA pay by setting in Milwaukee — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the CNA range splits by employer type in the Milwaukee metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
SNF / LTC $40,000 $36K–$45K High
Hospital $49,000 $44K–$55K Moderate
Home health $44,000 $39K–$50K High
Assisted living $38,000 $34K–$42K Moderate
Hospice $47,000 $41K–$52K Moderate

CNA salary in Milwaukee vs. other Wisconsin and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

FAQ: hiring a Certified Nursing Assistant in Milwaukee, WI

Market median is $44,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $44,000 — typically $38,000 to $51,000. To lead the market, plan on $51K–$58K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Wisconsin. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $38,000–$51,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$39,000 falls below the Milwaukee market median of $44,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 52% of Milwaukee CNA postings include a sign-on bonus, concentrated in SNF and home health ($2K–$4K).
Average fill time is approximately 21 days in the Milwaukee metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($51K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($38K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Milwaukee-metro posting volume: Aurora Advocate Health, Froedtert Health, Ascension Wisconsin, ProHealth Care, Brookdale Senior Living lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for CNA in Milwaukee — for example, $38,000 to $51,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Wisconsin has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related CNA pay benchmarks — Wisconsin metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
CNA pay benchmark — Chicago, IL → CNA pay benchmark — Minneapolis, MN → CNA pay benchmark — Detroit, MI → All CNA pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Milwaukee
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.