Wisconsin unemployment sits at 3.2%, below the national 4.2%. Openings outpace hires, so employers who respond fastest win the workers.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate is 3.2%, a full step below the U.S. rate of 4.2%, and it has barely moved from 3.1% a year ago. That is a steady, tight market. The job openings rate of 3.7% runs ahead of the hires rate of 3.4%, which means more roles are posted than filled. Most good candidates are already working or weighing more than one offer.
The job base is growing slowly, up +0.6% across 3.06 million nonfarm jobs and a labor force of 3.15 million. Growth is uneven. Leisure and hospitality is adding jobs fastest at +2.2%, while the largest sector, Trade, transportation, and utilities, pulled back −2.0%. Workers are shifting between sectors, and that movement is your sourcing opportunity.
This page reads the tables below for you: where pay sits against national benchmarks, which industries are hiring, and which state rules shape your process. Then it turns that into recruiting steps that fit a market where speed and clear communication decide who gets hired.
Low, flat unemployment and an openings rate above the hires rate point to a market where candidates have options. A quits rate of 2.5% also means your current staff can leave, so retention and backfill planning matter as much as new requisitions.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES, JOLTS). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $19.19 | $30.78 | $59.27 | 22,720 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $18.78 | $31.70 | $62.75 | 37,700 |
| Telemarketers | $13.82 | $15.99 | $22.87 | 1,160 |
| Customer service representatives | $16.47 | $22.58 | $30.60 | 50,840 |
| Retail salespersons | $13.12 | $16.58 | $23.02 | 67,640 |
| Cashiers | $11.25 | $14.85 | $18.06 | 65,380 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $15.99 | $21.45 | $27.58 | 70,520 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $10.69 | $13.75 | $17.35 | 67,750 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $14.23 | $17.79 | $22.88 | 45,640 |
| Sales managers | $36.70 | $64.84 | $106.79 | 10,480 |
Several Wisconsin medians sit below national levels, such as retail salespersons at $16.58 against $17.03 nationally, while material movers ($21.45 versus $19.35) and customer service reps ($22.58 versus $21.53) run above. Benchmark each role on its own rather than applying one statewide assumption.
535,500 jobs · 17.5% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
With Trade, transportation, and utilities down −2.0% while still holding 17.5% of jobs, experienced warehouse workers, drivers and sales associates are in motion, so keep a warm pipeline of past applicants you can recontact quickly.
505,500 jobs · 16.5% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Private education and health services grew +1.5% on a 16.5% share, so caregiver and clinic roles face steady competition and reward fast screening and flexible interview times.
458,400 jobs · 15.0% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing is nearly flat at +0.3% with a 15.0% share, which points to replacement hiring for production and machine roles rather than big expansions.
333,700 jobs · 10.9% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services rose +1.2% to a 10.9% share, and contact-center and sales roles here benefit from clear pay explanations given the wide spread in commission-based pay.
296,600 jobs · 9.7% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality is the fastest grower at +2.2% with a 9.7% share, so servers, cooks and housekeeping staff need high-volume, quick-turn hiring workflows.
Five sectors account for most hiring, led by Trade, transportation, and utilities at 17.5% of jobs. Sectors that are growing compete hard for the same hourly workers that shrinking sectors release.
The rules shown cover background checks, minimum wage, non-competes and areas where no statewide requirement was identified. This is general information, not legal advice, so confirm details with the relevant state agency or your employment counsel before changing your process.
Wisconsin's Fair Employment Act makes arrest and conviction record protected bases: employers generally may not ask applicants about arrests, and may refuse a job over a conviction only if it substantially relates to the job.
No statewide ban-the-box / fair chance requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Wisconsin's statutory minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, with a $2.33 hourly cash wage for tipped employees, and cities and counties cannot set their own minimum wage.
Wisconsin enforces employee non-competes only if the restrictions are reasonably necessary to protect the employer, and an unreasonable covenant is void in its entirety.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
With unemployment at 3.2% and openings ahead of hires, the first employer to respond often wins. Text applicants as soon as they apply and offer an interview slot in the same message. Email still matters for documents, but a text gets read first.
Trade, transportation, and utilities pulled back −2.0%, while healthcare and hospitality are adding jobs. Workers leaving warehouse, delivery and retail roles bring reliability and shift experience. Build a segment of these candidates and send them roles that match their schedules and skills.
Services sales pay ranges from $19.19 to $59.27 an hour, with a median of $30.78. Candidates cannot judge that range from a single number. State the base, then show what typical and top performers earn, so applicants self-select before the interview.
Retail, cashier and fast food medians in Wisconsin sit below national figures, while material mover pay sits above. Check the role's local 10th-to-90th percentile range before posting. Paying near or above the local median on a hard-to-fill shift can cut time spent re-posting.
A quits rate of 2.5% means steady turnover even in a slow-growth market. Keep silver-medal candidates in an active pool and set automated check-ins. When someone resigns, you start with people who already know your company.
Wisconsin's tight, steady market rewards employers who reach candidates first and keep them engaged. Conversational SMS and automations let your team text applicants from one inbox and trigger messages the moment a status changes. Audience segmentation helps you build lists of past applicants from shrinking sectors and send them the roles you are filling now. For hospitality and healthcare volume, self-service interview scheduling lets candidates book their own slot with calendar sync and automated reminders, so fewer interviews fall through between first contact and the first shift.
Unemployment is 3.2%, below the national 4.2%, and roughly flat from a year ago. The job openings rate of 3.7% is above the hires rate of 3.4%, so more jobs are open than filled. Expect candidates to have options and plan to move quickly.
It depends on the role. Retail salespersons earn a median of $16.58 versus $17.03 nationally, but material movers earn $21.45 versus $19.35. Check each role in the wage table before setting pay.
Texting is a common and effective way to reach hourly candidates. Get clear opt-in consent before you send recruiting texts, and honor STOP or opt-out replies right away. Confirm your consent language with counsel.
According to the rules on this page, Wisconsin's Fair Employment Act treats arrest and conviction records as protected bases. Employers generally may not ask about arrests and may refuse a job over a conviction only if it substantially relates to the job. This is general information, so confirm your process with the state agency or your employment counsel.
The state minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and the rules on this page note that cities and counties cannot set their own minimum wage. In a tight market, many roles pay well above that floor, so use the wage table to benchmark. Confirm current requirements with the state agency.
Leisure and hospitality is growing at +2.2% and Private education and health services at +1.5%, so both need steady intake. Use a short apply form, screen quickly, and let candidates book their own interviews. Bulk messaging and status-based reminders keep large pipelines moving without extra admin.
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Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 21, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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