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Jobs in Madison, WI

56
/ 100
Cooling

Madison, WI Job Market Score

Driven by
  • Pay is below the national median ($106k vs $138k national)
  • Net hiring is positive (+63 this week — 98 added vs 35 removed)
  • Slow inflow of new postings (only 27% from the last 14 days)

Madison, WI job market overview (May 2026)

The Madison, WI job market is currently cooling, with signs of slowing hiring activity. Out of 481 active job postings tracked here, 41% have been open for more than 30 days. Hiring is concentrated in retail associate and food service, with retail as the leading sector.

What this means for job seekers

  • Expect longer response times from employers — many roles sit open for over a month.
  • Best opportunities are in retail associate and food service.
  • Many employers don't list salary — be ready to ask early.

Madison, WI job market

Aggregated from currently-active postings tracked in Madison, WI.

Wages by category

BucketJobsMedian annualMedian hourly
Retail Associate37—$19/hr n=5
Food Service30——
Store Supervisor / Manager23——
Cook / Kitchen23——
Shift Supervisor / Service Lead21——

Wages by occupation (SOC)

BucketJobsMedian annualMedian hourly
Managers, All Other17$95k n=4—
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers17——
Fast Food and Counter Workers14——
Customer Service Representatives14——
Retail Salespersons9——

Wages by employment type

BucketJobsMedian annualMedian hourly
Part-time51—$19.07/hr n=12
Full-time43$115k n=13$19.24/hr n=4
Contract10——
Intern5——
Temporary5——

Wages by sector

BucketJobsMedian annualMedian hourly
Retail255$115k n=3$19.07/hr n=16
Food Service / Restaurants175——
Consumer Goods77—$19.07/hr n=16
Healthcare59——
Transportation & Logistics46$71k n=9—

Top categories

  • Retail Associate37
  • Food Service30
  • Store Supervisor / Manager23
  • Cook / Kitchen23
  • Shift Supervisor / Service Lead21
  • Server / Host20

Top occupations (SOC)

  • Managers, All Other17
  • First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers17
  • Fast Food and Counter Workers14
  • Customer Service Representatives14
  • Retail Salespersons9
  • Light Truck Drivers6

In-demand skills

Top sectors

  • Retail255
  • Food Service / Restaurants175
  • Consumer Goods77
  • Healthcare59
  • Transportation & Logistics46
  • Technology35

Employment mix

  • Unspecified367 · 76%
  • Part-time51 · 11%
  • Full-time43 · 9%
  • Contract10 · 2%
  • Intern5 · 1%
  • Temporary5 · 1%

Top hiring companies

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