SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + WI
COL Index: 100.48 (+0.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.7% Realized
$37,709 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $49,180 $23.64/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.33% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,521 $327.72/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $23.64 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,951/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$354/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,368
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,049
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$713
Wisconsin Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,391
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,709 ($1,450.33 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $49,180
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.1k 25th $44.8k Median: $49,180 50th (Median) $49.2k 75th $60.2k 90th $71.7k You: $49,180
10th (Entry) $37,130 $17.85/hr
25th (Junior) $44,760 $21.52/hr
50th (Median) $49,180 $23.64/hr
75th (Senior) $60,190 $28.94/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,690 $34.47/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$32,402$15.58/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$46,578$22.39/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$62,779$30.18/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$83,030$39.92/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
34% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,060/month Requires minimum annual gross of $42,400
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,263/month Requires minimum annual gross of $50,520
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.22/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.33/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$49,180-$8,521$37,709$1,450.33
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$58,401-$10,693$44,204$1,700.14
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$67,623-$12,886$50,679$1,949.21
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$76,844-$15,719$56,514$2,173.62
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$86,065-$18,846$62,055$2,386.73
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Wisconsin tax codes.

Market Baseline
$49,180/yr
$23.64/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
17.33% Effective
-$8,521 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,082/mo
Post-$1,060/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-9061
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI report a median annual wage of $49,180, 1.3% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,130 to $71,690, and HUD’s $1,060 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 25.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.22 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+87.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+56.2%
Savannah, GA$72,800+48.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+46.3%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+45.3%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+38.4%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+33.9%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+30.0%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+29.3%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+29.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$216,240$103.96/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$161,220$77.51/hr
Financial Manager$156,100$75.05/hr
Data Engineer$148,020$71.16/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$144,960$69.69/hr
Sales Managers$144,560$69.50/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$143,570$69.02/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$140,170$67.39/hr
Human Resources Managers$136,530$65.64/hr
Physician Assistant$135,040$64.92/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $49,180 a year ($23.64/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The median annual wage is $49,180 ($23.64 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,130 and $71,690. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes?

On the median wage of $49,180, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $40,160 a year ($3,347 a month) after $9,020 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.34%, using 2026 tax rules.