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What to Pay an ICU Registered Nurse in Milwaukee, WI (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$106,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$92K–$122K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.1%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~32
Milwaukee metro average
To hire a ICU Registered Nurse in Milwaukee at market, plan on a base salary range of $92,000 to $122,000, with $106,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 32 days, expect to lead at $122K–$140K 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 ICU RN 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
$81K–$92K
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
$100.4K–$112.4K
Default for most Milwaukee employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~32 days. A range width of ~30% (min $92,000 to max $122,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a ICU RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$115.6K–$140K
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.

ICU RN salary percentile distribution in Milwaukee, WI

Where the Milwaukee market actually sits for ICU RN base pay.

10th $81K
25th $92K
Median $106K
75th $122K
90th $140K

Most Milwaukee employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($106,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $92,000 and a max of $122,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Wisconsin pay transparency compliance for ICU RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a ICU RN 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 ICU RN role in Milwaukee, a compliant good-faith range looks like $92,000 to $122,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $92,000–$122,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top ICU RN employers in Milwaukee — who you're competing against

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Aurora Advocate Health Integrated health system $100K–$125K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Froedtert Health Academic medical center $100K–$125K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Ascension Wisconsin Health system $100K–$125K Very common ($10K–$18K)
ProHealth Care Health system $100K–$125K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Children's Wisconsin Pediatric specialty $100K–$125K Very common ($10K–$18K)

ICU RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Milwaukee

How hard is it to fill a ICU RN role in Milwaukee.

~32
Avg Days to Fill
~883
Active Postings
~848,000
Milwaukee ICU RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Milwaukee ICU RN market reflects broader RN supply constraints, with critical care specialty demand elevated by post-COVID staffing gaps.

Skill premiums ICU RN candidates command in Milwaukee, WI

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CCRN Required baseline Standard
Cardiac subspecialty +7–11% Very high
Trauma / Level I experience +6–10% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard at Magnet hospitals

ICU RN total compensation in Milwaukee — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Milwaukee Postings
Base salary $106,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +16–24% premium ~94%
Sign-on bonus $11K–$21K ~80%
CCRN certification pay +8–12% on base ~72%
Overtime opportunity $12K–$23K annualized ~94%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$129K–$153K —

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.

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

Where the ICU RN range splits by employer type in the Milwaukee metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
MICU $102,000 $91K–$117K Very high
SICU $106,000 $95K–$121K Very high
Cardiac ICU (CICU) $112,000 $100K–$127K Very high
Neuro ICU $110,000 $98K–$125K Very high
PICU $108,000 $98K–$123K Very high

FAQ: hiring a ICU Registered Nurse in Milwaukee, WI

Market median is $106,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $106,000 — typically $92,000 to $122,000. To lead the market, plan on $122K–$140K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Wisconsin. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $92,000–$122,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$95,000 falls below the Milwaukee market median of $106,000 — 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 80% of Milwaukee ICU RN postings include a sign-on bonus ($11K–$21K).
Average fill time is approximately 32 days in the Milwaukee metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($122K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($92K) 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, Children's Wisconsin lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for ICU RN in Milwaukee — for example, $92,000 to $122,000. 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 ICU RN pay benchmarks — Wisconsin metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
ICU RN pay benchmark — Chicago, IL → ICU RN pay benchmark — Minneapolis, MN → ICU RN pay benchmark — Detroit, MI → All ICU RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Milwaukee
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Physical Therapist pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Physician Assistant pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Respiratory Therapist pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Surgical Technologist pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Milwaukee → Operating Room Registered 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.