What does a Civil Engineers salary really buy you in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin is 7.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Wisconsin's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 92.3, meaning prices are 7.7% lower the national average. A Civil Engineers earning $83,760 in Wisconsin has the equivalent purchasing power of $90,747 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $62,420 | $67,627 | +$5,207 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $72,520 | $78,569 | +$6,049 |
| Median (P50) | $83,760 | $90,747 | +$6,987 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $102,450 | $110,996 | +$8,546 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $129,490 | $140,292 | +$10,802 |
A Civil Engineers in Wisconsin earns $83,760 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 8% further — like earning $90,747 in an average-cost state. This makes Wisconsin one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Civil Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Wisconsin ranks #34 out of 51 states for Civil Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Civil Engineers take-home pay in Wisconsin after taxes →
A Civil Engineers in Wisconsin earns a median salary of $83,760 per year. After adjusting for Wisconsin's cost of living (RPP=92.3), the real purchasing power is $90,747 — a +8.3% difference.
Wisconsin's cost of living is 7.7% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Wisconsin is 92.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Civil Engineers in Wisconsin: $83,760 x (100 / 92.3) = $90,747. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Civil Engineers in Wisconsin enjoys 8.3% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.