Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI WG Pay Scale 2026 (Wage Area 148)
In the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, Wisconsin wage area, a WG-10 earns $33.08 at step 1, $34.48 at step 2 and $38.55 at step 5 under schedule 148 (Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI), effective August 23, 2026. Step 2 is about $71,960 a year at 2,087 hours, an estimate.
Schedule 148 is the one that covers this wage area's survey area (5 CFR 532, Appendix C). One other schedule covers other GS locality pay areas inside the wage area; it is listed below.
Below are the WG, WL and WS hourly rates for every grade and step and the counties covered. See WG pay scale 2026 for every wage area.
Maintained by Archie Chang · DCPAS schedules checked October 31, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Schedule 148: Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI (Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI)
Issued August 18, 2026, effective August 23, 2026, superseding the schedule issued November 25, 2025. GS locality: Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI (MIL). For General Schedule pay in the same locality, see Milwaukee GS pay scale 2026.
WG: nonsupervisory grades 1 to 15
| WG (nonsupervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WG-1 | $18.58$38,776 | $19.35$40,383 | $20.13$42,011 | $20.89$43,597 | $21.68$45,246 |
| WG-2 | $20.20$42,157 | $21.03$43,890 | $21.86$45,622 | $22.68$47,333 | $23.54$49,128 |
| WG-3 | $21.78$45,455 | $22.68$47,333 | $23.62$49,295 | $24.51$51,152 | $25.41$53,031 |
| WG-4 | $23.41$48,857 | $24.39$50,902 | $25.37$52,947 | $26.32$54,930 | $27.30$56,975 |
| WG-5 | $25.04$52,258 | $26.05$54,366 | $27.11$56,579 | $28.15$58,749 | $29.17$60,878 |
| WG-6 | $26.64$55,598 | $27.76$57,935 | $28.84$60,189 | $29.93$62,464 | $31.03$64,760 |
| WG-7 | $28.23$58,916 | $29.43$61,420 | $30.61$63,883 | $31.74$66,241 | $32.90$68,662 |
| WG-8 | $29.84$62,276 | $31.08$64,864 | $32.31$67,431 | $33.57$70,061 | $34.79$72,607 |
| WG-9 | $31.47$65,678 | $32.77$68,391 | $34.08$71,125 | $35.41$73,901 | $36.68$76,551 |
| WG-10 | $33.08$69,038 | $34.48$71,960 | $35.84$74,798 | $37.20$77,636 | $38.55$80,454 |
| WG-11 | $34.80$72,628 | $36.23$75,612 | $37.68$78,638 | $39.11$81,623 | $40.57$84,670 |
| WG-12 | $36.43$76,029 | $37.94$79,181 | $39.45$82,332 | $41.00$85,567 | $42.52$88,739 |
| WG-13 | $38.03$79,369 | $39.61$82,666 | $41.19$85,964 | $42.77$89,261 | $44.37$92,600 |
| WG-14 | $39.58$82,603 | $41.24$86,068 | $42.94$89,616 | $44.55$92,976 | $46.21$96,440 |
| WG-15 | $40.78$85,108 | $42.50$88,698 | $44.15$92,141 | $45.95$95,898 | $47.61$99,362 |
WL: leader grades 1 to 15
| WL (leader) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WL-1 | $20.45$42,679 | $21.29$44,432 | $22.13$46,185 | $22.99$47,980 | $23.85$49,775 |
| WL-2 | $22.21$46,352 | $23.12$48,251 | $24.03$50,151 | $24.97$52,112 | $25.89$54,032 |
| WL-3 | $23.97$50,025 | $24.96$52,092 | $25.95$54,158 | $26.95$56,245 | $27.95$58,332 |
| WL-4 | $25.78$53,803 | $26.79$55,911 | $27.90$58,227 | $28.99$60,502 | $30.04$62,693 |
| WL-5 | $27.52$57,434 | $28.65$59,793 | $29.80$62,193 | $30.94$64,572 | $32.09$66,972 |
| WL-6 | $29.28$61,107 | $30.51$63,674 | $31.72$66,200 | $32.92$68,704 | $34.14$71,250 |
| WL-7 | $31.02$64,739 | $32.31$67,431 | $33.60$70,123 | $34.91$72,857 | $36.18$75,508 |
| WL-8 | $32.83$68,516 | $34.19$71,355 | $35.55$74,193 | $36.93$77,073 | $38.30$79,932 |
| WL-9 | $34.61$72,231 | $36.02$75,174 | $37.47$78,200 | $38.91$81,205 | $40.35$84,210 |
| WL-10 | $36.38$75,925 | $37.87$79,035 | $39.37$82,165 | $40.90$85,358 | $42.42$88,531 |
| WL-11 | $38.25$79,828 | $39.84$83,146 | $41.45$86,506 | $43.04$89,824 | $44.65$93,185 |
| WL-12 | $40.07$83,626 | $41.74$87,111 | $43.38$90,534 | $45.08$94,082 | $46.76$97,588 |
| WL-13 | $41.85$87,341 | $43.58$90,951 | $45.31$94,562 | $47.05$98,193 | $48.81$101,866 |
| WL-14 | $43.57$90,931 | $45.38$94,708 | $47.21$98,527 | $49.04$102,346 | $50.84$106,103 |
| WL-15 | $44.86$93,623 | $46.73$97,526 | $48.61$101,449 | $50.55$105,498 | $52.36$109,275 |
WS: supervisory grades 1 to 19
| WS (supervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WS-1 | $28.51$59,500 | $29.63$61,838 | $30.83$64,342 | $32.03$66,847 | $33.21$69,309 |
| WS-2 | $30.10$62,819 | $31.35$65,427 | $32.59$68,015 | $33.86$70,666 | $35.07$73,191 |
| WS-3 | $31.70$66,158 | $33.00$68,871 | $34.33$71,647 | $35.64$74,381 | $36.95$77,115 |
| WS-4 | $33.30$69,497 | $34.68$72,377 | $36.06$75,257 | $37.44$78,137 | $38.85$81,080 |
| WS-5 | $34.89$72,815 | $36.36$75,883 | $37.80$78,889 | $39.26$81,936 | $40.71$84,962 |
| WS-6 | $36.53$76,238 | $38.03$79,369 | $39.57$82,583 | $41.06$85,692 | $42.59$88,885 |
| WS-7 | $38.12$79,556 | $39.71$82,875 | $41.31$86,214 | $42.86$89,449 | $44.44$92,746 |
| WS-8 | $39.73$82,917 | $41.41$86,423 | $43.01$89,762 | $44.70$93,289 | $46.32$96,670 |
| WS-9 | $41.38$86,360 | $43.04$89,824 | $44.81$93,518 | $46.50$97,046 | $48.21$100,614 |
| WS-10 | $42.96$89,658 | $44.76$93,414 | $46.52$97,087 | $48.30$100,802 | $50.10$104,559 |
| WS-11 | $43.72$91,244 | $45.51$94,979 | $47.32$98,757 | $49.14$102,555 | $50.96$106,354 |
| WS-12 | $44.70$93,289 | $46.55$97,150 | $48.43$101,073 | $50.26$104,893 | $52.13$108,795 |
| WS-13 | $45.93$95,856 | $47.84$99,842 | $49.76$103,849 | $51.68$107,856 | $53.56$111,780 |
| WS-14 | $47.39$98,903 | $49.35$102,993 | $51.32$107,105 | $53.30$111,237 | $55.28$115,369 |
| WS-15 | $49.07$102,409 | $51.12$106,687 | $53.15$110,924 | $55.19$115,182 | $57.22$119,418 |
| WS-16 | $51.00$106,437 | $53.11$110,841 | $55.21$115,223 | $57.31$119,606 | $59.47$124,114 |
| WS-17 | $53.14$110,903 | $55.38$115,578 | $57.57$120,149 | $59.77$124,740 | $62.00$129,394 |
| WS-18 | $55.54$115,912 | $57.85$120,733 | $60.15$125,533 | $62.44$130,312 | $64.77$135,175 |
| WS-19 | $52.72$110,027 | $54.92$114,618 | $57.12$119,209 | $59.31$123,780 | $61.51$128,371 |
Counties covered by schedule 148
Dodge County, WI; Fond du Lac County, WI; Jefferson County, WI; Milwaukee County, WI; Ozaukee County, WI; Racine County, WI; Sheboygan County, WI; Walworth County, WI; Washington County, WI; Waukesha County, WI
Schedule 548: Rest of United States (Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI)
Issued August 18, 2026, effective August 23, 2026, superseding the schedule issued November 25, 2025. GS locality: Rest of United States (RUS). For General Schedule pay in the same locality, see Rest of U.S. GS pay scale 2026.
WG: nonsupervisory grades 1 to 15
| WG (nonsupervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WG-1 | $18.05$37,670 | $18.77$39,173 | $19.54$40,780 | $20.28$42,324 | $21.06$43,952 |
| WG-2 | $19.62$40,947 | $20.42$42,617 | $21.25$44,349 | $22.02$45,956 | $22.85$47,688 |
| WG-3 | $21.17$44,182 | $22.02$45,956 | $22.89$47,771 | $23.79$49,650 | $24.67$51,486 |
| WG-4 | $22.72$47,417 | $23.67$49,399 | $24.60$51,340 | $25.54$53,302 | $26.49$55,285 |
| WG-5 | $24.31$50,735 | $25.25$52,697 | $26.30$54,888 | $27.30$56,975 | $28.30$59,062 |
| WG-6 | $25.86$53,970 | $26.90$56,140 | $28.00$58,436 | $29.05$60,627 | $30.13$62,881 |
| WG-7 | $27.43$57,246 | $28.53$59,542 | $29.67$61,921 | $30.81$64,300 | $31.94$66,659 |
| WG-8 | $28.96$60,440 | $30.15$62,923 | $31.37$65,469 | $32.58$67,994 | $33.75$70,436 |
| WG-9 | $30.71$64,092 | $31.99$66,763 | $33.27$69,434 | $34.56$72,127 | $35.84$74,798 |
| WG-10 | $32.74$68,328 | $34.11$71,188 | $35.48$74,047 | $36.84$76,885 | $38.18$79,682 |
| WG-11 | $34.33$71,647 | $35.74$74,589 | $37.17$77,574 | $38.62$80,600 | $40.05$83,584 |
| WG-12 | $36.10$75,341 | $37.61$78,492 | $39.11$81,623 | $40.63$84,795 | $42.13$87,925 |
| WG-13 | $37.88$79,056 | $39.48$82,395 | $41.07$85,713 | $42.64$88,990 | $44.23$92,308 |
| WG-14 | $39.38$82,186 | $41.00$85,567 | $42.70$89,115 | $44.28$92,412 | $45.94$95,877 |
| WG-15 | $40.57$84,670 | $42.26$88,197 | $43.89$91,598 | $45.68$95,334 | $47.35$98,819 |
WL: leader grades 1 to 15
| WL (leader) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WL-1 | $19.81$41,343 | $20.63$43,055 | $21.46$44,787 | $22.31$46,561 | $23.10$48,210 |
| WL-2 | $21.56$44,996 | $22.44$46,832 | $23.35$48,731 | $24.23$50,568 | $25.14$52,467 |
| WL-3 | $23.25$48,523 | $24.22$50,547 | $25.19$52,572 | $26.15$54,575 | $27.10$56,558 |
| WL-4 | $25.00$52,175 | $26.01$54,283 | $27.05$56,453 | $28.09$58,624 | $29.13$60,794 |
| WL-5 | $26.69$55,702 | $27.81$58,039 | $28.93$60,377 | $30.02$62,652 | $31.13$64,968 |
| WL-6 | $28.44$59,354 | $29.59$61,754 | $30.76$64,196 | $31.96$66,701 | $33.13$69,142 |
| WL-7 | $30.12$62,860 | $31.37$65,469 | $32.62$68,078 | $33.89$70,728 | $35.16$73,379 |
| WL-8 | $31.88$66,534 | $33.19$69,268 | $34.49$71,981 | $35.80$74,715 | $37.13$77,490 |
| WL-9 | $33.78$70,499 | $35.20$73,462 | $36.59$76,363 | $38.02$79,348 | $39.42$82,270 |
| WL-10 | $36.01$75,153 | $37.53$78,325 | $39.02$81,435 | $40.51$84,544 | $41.99$87,633 |
| WL-11 | $37.77$78,826 | $39.32$82,061 | $40.91$85,379 | $42.48$88,656 | $44.04$91,911 |
| WL-12 | $39.71$82,875 | $41.38$86,360 | $43.02$89,783 | $44.68$93,247 | $46.32$96,670 |
| WL-13 | $41.69$87,007 | $43.43$90,638 | $45.16$94,249 | $46.95$97,985 | $48.65$101,533 |
| WL-14 | $43.34$90,451 | $45.13$94,186 | $46.97$98,026 | $48.76$101,762 | $50.56$105,519 |
| WL-15 | $44.61$93,101 | $46.50$97,046 | $48.34$100,886 | $50.20$104,767 | $52.05$108,628 |
WS: supervisory grades 1 to 19
| WS (supervisory) grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WS-1 | $27.62$57,643 | $28.79$60,085 | $29.91$62,422 | $31.09$64,885 | $32.19$67,181 |
| WS-2 | $29.19$60,920 | $30.42$63,487 | $31.60$65,949 | $32.84$68,537 | $34.04$71,041 |
| WS-3 | $30.72$64,113 | $32.05$66,888 | $33.26$69,414 | $34.56$72,127 | $35.84$74,798 |
| WS-4 | $32.30$67,410 | $33.66$70,248 | $34.99$73,024 | $36.34$75,842 | $37.67$78,617 |
| WS-5 | $33.86$70,666 | $35.28$73,629 | $36.71$76,614 | $38.07$79,452 | $39.50$82,437 |
| WS-6 | $35.44$73,963 | $36.90$77,010 | $38.41$80,162 | $39.87$83,209 | $41.32$86,235 |
| WS-7 | $36.97$77,156 | $38.52$80,391 | $40.06$83,605 | $41.61$86,840 | $43.15$90,054 |
| WS-8 | $38.55$80,454 | $40.14$83,772 | $41.76$87,153 | $43.34$90,451 | $44.98$93,873 |
| WS-9 | $40.57$84,670 | $42.25$88,176 | $43.92$91,661 | $45.63$95,230 | $47.31$98,736 |
| WS-10 | $42.55$88,802 | $44.32$92,496 | $46.10$96,211 | $47.86$99,884 | $49.65$103,620 |
| WS-11 | $43.14$90,033 | $44.94$93,790 | $46.71$97,484 | $48.50$101,220 | $50.31$104,997 |
| WS-12 | $43.85$91,515 | $45.68$95,334 | $47.51$99,153 | $49.34$102,973 | $51.16$106,771 |
| WS-13 | $44.77$93,435 | $46.62$97,296 | $48.47$101,157 | $50.34$105,060 | $52.21$108,962 |
| WS-14 | $45.98$95,960 | $47.90$99,967 | $49.82$103,974 | $51.71$107,919 | $53.64$111,947 |
| WS-15 | $47.60$99,341 | $49.61$103,536 | $51.59$107,668 | $53.60$111,863 | $55.55$115,933 |
| WS-16 | $49.47$103,244 | $51.53$107,543 | $53.62$111,905 | $55.63$116,100 | $57.72$120,462 |
| WS-17 | $51.57$107,627 | $53.73$112,135 | $55.86$116,580 | $57.96$120,963 | $60.13$125,491 |
| WS-18 | $53.86$112,406 | $56.13$117,143 | $58.36$121,797 | $60.58$126,430 | $62.86$131,189 |
| WS-19 | $52.72$110,027 | $54.92$114,618 | $57.12$119,209 | $59.31$123,780 | $61.51$128,371 |
Counties covered by schedule 548
Brown County, WI; Calumet County, WI; Door County, WI; Kewaunee County, WI; Manitowoc County, WI; Menominee County, WI; Oconto County, WI; Outagamie County, WI; Shawano County, WI; Winnebago County, WI
Other wage areas in Wisconsin
- Chicago-Naperville, IL WG-10 step 2 $35.15
- Duluth, MN WG-10 step 2 $34.33
- Minneapolis-St Paul, MN WG-10 step 2 $35.69
- Madison, WI WG-10 step 2 $30.44
- Southwestern Wisconsin WG-10 step 2 $30.22
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI WG pay questions
What is the WG-10 rate in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI?
Under schedule 148 (Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI, the schedule that covers this wage area's survey area), WG-10 is $33.08 at step 1, $34.48 at step 2 and $38.55 at step 5. At 2,087 hours a year, step 2 is about $71,960, an estimate. The other schedule is on this page.
When did the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI wage schedule take effect?
DCPAS issued schedule 148 on August 18, 2026 with an effective date of August 23, 2026. It replaced the schedule issued November 25, 2025. New schedules follow each local wage survey, so check DCPAS for a newer one.
Why does Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI have two schedules?
The wage area overlaps more than one General Schedule locality pay area, so DCPAS publishes one schedule for each: 148 (Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI); 548 (Rest of United States). This page leads with schedule 148, the one that covers this wage area's survey area (5 CFR 532 Appendix C). Use the schedule for the GS locality of your duty station. The county lists on this page show where each applies.
Which counties does the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI wage area cover?
DCPAS lists 10 counties or areas for schedule 148; the full list is on this page. OPM's final rule on wage area criteria took effect on October 1, 2025, and DCPAS says it affects approximately 230 counties, so check the list if your county may have moved.
Sources (checked October 31, 2026): DCPAS Wage and Salary Division, appropriated fund wage schedules · 5 CFR 532.203, structure of regular wage schedules (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.201, definitions (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.211, criteria for appropriated fund wage areas (eCFR) · 5 CFR 532.417, within-grade increases (eCFR) · 5 U.S.C. 5343, prevailing rate determinations · 5 U.S.C. 5342, definitions · 5 U.S.C. 5504, biweekly pay periods; computation of pay · Federal Register, January 21, 2025 (90 FR 7428), final rule on wage area criteria · OPM, Facts About the Federal Wage System · OPM CPM 2025-20, Fiscal Year 2026 Prevailing Rate Pay Adjustments · OPM CPM 2026-05, Update to Fiscal Year 2026 Prevailing Rate Pay Adjustments · House Document 119-189, Alternative Plan for Pay Adjustments (January 2027)