Office Manager salary in Appleton, WI
Appleton pays office managers close to the national norm. The median is $69,340 a year1, 1.7% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,560 and about level with the US median of $69,500. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#115 of 519). BLS counts about 960 people in this job here, 4% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Appleton, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Appleton against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $47,640 | $69,340 | $100,730 | |
| Wisconsin | $47,590 | $70,560 | $102,440 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Appleton earns $59,650–$84,450. The top tenth earns $100,730 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,800 wide, against $25,660 across Wisconsin and $29,140 nationally: employers in Appleton pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,640 | $3,970 | $22.90 | $61,471 |
| 25th percentile | $59,650 | $4,971 | $28.68 | $76,968 |
| Median | $69,340 | $5,778 | $33.34 | $89,471 |
| 75th percentile | $84,450 | $7,038 | $40.60 | $108,968 |
| 90th percentile | $100,730 | $8,394 | $48.43 | $129,974 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,110 over the median, the 25th only $9,690 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $19,497 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Appleton, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,560 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Appleton
At the $69,340 median, a local hire costs about $89,471 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,131 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Appleton
Of the 17 roles we track in Appleton, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($80,360) and executive assistants ($65,600). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,290.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +41.8% | 970 | |
| Accountant | +15.9% | 1,020 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.4% | 130 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -6.1% | 690 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Appleton (-0.2%), between bookkeepers (+0.2%) and data entry specialists (-1.1%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 7.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Appleton, 8.2% across Wisconsin and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $62,550 in the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $77,390 in Kenosha, a gap of $14,840 a year. Of the 5 areas in Wisconsin with more office managers than Appleton, 2 pay less: the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($63,350) and the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($62,550).
| Area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fond du Lac, WI | +2.8% | 340 | |
| Green Bay, WI | +2.6% | 1,240 | |
| Sheboygan, WI | +1.0% | 370 | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 960 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -2.0% | 610 | |
| Western Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -3.5% | 900 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | -4.2% | 540 |
Appleton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Appleton is #245 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Rochester and Lansing-East Lansing pay just above Appleton and Pueblo and Harrisonburg just below. All four are within $540 a year of the median in Appleton. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +0.3% | 1,960 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | +0.2% | 4,220 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 960 | ||
| Pueblo, CO | -0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.8% | 540 | pay | |
| Abilene, TX | -13.0% | 970 | jobs | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -14.8% | 960 | jobs | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -17.6% | 960 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Appleton, WI?
About $89,471 a year at the median, or $7,456 a month: $69,340 in pay plus about $20,131 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Appleton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $69,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,640, the 90th $100,730, and the middle half earned $59,650 to $84,450.
Is Appleton cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $69,340 against $70,560 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Sheboygan at $70,010, the next down Eau Claire at $67,980.
How many office managers work in Appleton?
BLS counts about 960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Wisconsin total of 22,950. 5 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Green Bay, with about 1,240.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in Appleton?
Yes: $3,740 a year more at the median. The medians are $69,340 and $65,600.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.