Cost of hiring in Wausau, WI
BLS counts about 5,900 people in these 15 roles in Wausau1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($88,940 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($39,670), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,000 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Wausau
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Receptionist | +4.4% | 790 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +3.3% | 1,000 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +2.4% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.4% | 220 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.1% | 590 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.5% | 600 | |
| Office Manager | -6.1% | 570 | |
| Accountant | -7.2% | 530 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.2% | 40 | |
| Executive Assistant | -11.3% | 60 | |
| Recruiter | -12.1% | 330 | |
| Project Coordinator | -13.1% | 390 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -15.1% | 350 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -17.4% | 240 | |
| Paralegal | -27.5% | 130 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $46,260 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $59,690 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Wausau against the US
Wausau pays above the US median for 4 of the 15 roles, most of all for virtual receptionists (+4.4%) and customer support specialists (+3.3%), and below it for 11, furthest for paralegals (-27.5%). The middle gap across all 15 is -7.2%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for virtual receptionists, #87 of 521 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #480 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Wausau has more virtual receptionists (13.4% of these jobs here, against 5.8% nationally) and HR assistants (0.7% against 0.6%), and fewer executive assistants (1.0% against 2.9%) and medical administrative assistants (3.7% against 6.1%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Bangor, ME is nearest, at -7.2%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -7.0% | 17 | 10,830 |
| Wausau, WI | -7.2% (this area) | 15 | 5,900 |
| Bangor, ME | -7.2% | 16 | 5,910 |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -7.3% | 17 | 16,150 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -7.3% | 16 | 8,380 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -7.3% | 17 | 18,060 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Wausau span $36,650–$102,700, the widest band (2.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $39,180–$56,690. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 15 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for accountants, sales development representatives, paralegals and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($88,500 against a $77,680 median for accountants).
Wausau against Wisconsin
Against Wisconsin as a whole, Wausau pays about the same or less for all 15 roles, and less for 13, most of all paralegals (-22.1%). It has the lowest median in Wisconsin for paralegals and HR assistants.
Other areas in Wisconsin
By jobs in these roles, Wausau is #14 of 17 areas in Wisconsin. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Oshkosh-Neenah to the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 9,050 | 16 |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | 8,730 | 17 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 7,720 | 16 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 7,310 | 17 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | 6,260 | 16 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 6,200 | 17 |
| Kenosha, WI | 6,200 | 16 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 4,530 | 14 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 3,650 | 14 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | 3,380 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Wausau?
Of the 15 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $88,940 a year, about $114,761 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,670.
Is hiring in Wausau cheaper than the US median?
For 11 of the 15 roles, yes, most of all paralegals (-27.5%). 4 pay more than the US median, led by virtual receptionists (+4.4%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.