SOC 25-2011 · Wausau, WI metro

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Wausau, WI

The average salary for preschool teachers (except special education) in Wausau, Wisconsin is $33,920 a year ($16.31 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $32,520: half of the 160 people in this job in the Wausau, WI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

$33,920average per year

$16.31 / hourMedian $32,520Take-home ≈ $28,650

  • $29K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $33KMedian
  • $36K75th
  • $43K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

160people in this job
-21%vs U.S. average
#13 of 13Wisconsin metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Wausau

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,000 or more. The middle half of preschool teachers (except special education) in Wausau earn between $30,000 and $35,880.

  • $29K10th
  • $30K25th
  • $33KMedian
  • $36K75th
  • $43K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$33,920$2,827$16.31
Median$32,520$2,710$15.63
Entry level (25th percentile)$30,000$2,500$14.42
Experienced (75th percentile)$35,880$2,990$17.25

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay in Wausau vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.

Preschool teachers (except special education) in Wausau earn 7% less than the Wisconsin average ($36,500) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($43,030). At the median the gap is -15% against the U.S. median of $38,140.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Wausau$33,920$32,520$28,600$43,000160
Wisconsin$36,500$36,160$28,530$46,09011,330
United States$43,030$38,140$28,990$61,390478,780

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Wausau

On the average salary of $33,920, a single filer in Wausau takes home about $28,650 a year, or $2,388 a month and $1,102 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Wisconsin paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Wausau a good place for preschool teachers (except special education)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Wausau area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $33,920 buys what about $36,611 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Wausau ($48,790). A typical home costs $274,194, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $33,920 is worth in another city

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Wisconsin cities

Wausau ranks 13th of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Madison pays the most ($39,940).

All Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Wisconsin

Highest-paying cities for preschool teachers (except special education)

Vineland, NJ pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($62,570).

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city

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Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Wausau: questions

How much do preschool teachers (except special education) make an hour in Wausau?

$16.31 an hour on average, and $15.64 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level preschool teachers (except special education) salary in Wausau?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,000, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the preschool teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Wausau?

About $28,650 a year ($2,388 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $33,920.

Do preschool teachers (except special education) earn more in Wausau than elsewhere?

The average here is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($43,030).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-2011; area Wausau, WI (48140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.75, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.75).

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