Moving between states / Wisconsin
Iowato
Wisconsin, ElectricianMoving from Iowa to Wisconsin as a journeyman electrician
What a journeyman electrician licensed in Iowa has to do to work in Wisconsin, what the move does to your pay, and who in Wisconsin is hiring from out of state.
Exam required. Wisconsin licenses electricians through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Iowa hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Iowa Electrical Examining Board before you move and book the Wisconsin exam early.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Wisconsin takes roughly $933 a year more than Iowa does.
| Salary | Iowa state tax | Wisconsin state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,520 | $2,142 | -$622 |
| $60,000 | $2,280 | $3,213 | -$933 |
| $90,000 | $3,420 | $4,819 | -$1,399 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Iowa to Wisconsin
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Iowa certificate stays on the Iowa Direct Care Worker Registry (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing); to work in Wisconsin you apply to the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (Department of Health Services) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Iowa to Wisconsin
Works on day one. Both Iowa and Wisconsin are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Iowa is valid in Wisconsin the day you arrive. Once Wisconsin is your primary residence, apply there for a Wisconsin multistate licence; most boards allow 30 to 60 days.
CDL: Iowa to Wisconsin
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Wisconsin resident you surrender the Iowa CDL at a Wisconsin driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Wisconsin. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Wisconsin pay you to come?
No statewide program in Wisconsin pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Going the other way? Iowa has Newton Housing Initiative. See moving from Wisconsin to Iowa.
Openings filed in Wisconsin
76 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Wisconsin employers who could not fill them locally.
- Senior Commercial Credit Underwriter – Dealer FinanceSantander US · Madison
- Treasury Sales Associate I - Global Payment Solutions - Middle MarketBank of America · Milwaukee
- FarmworkerMcKay Nursery Holding Co., Inc. · Waterloo · $13.57/hr
- Farmworkers and LaborersJackson Citrus, Inc. · Ellison Bay · $13.57/hr
- Treasury Sales Associate I - Global Payment Solutions - Middle MarketBank of America · Milwaukee
- Farmworker, LaborerAppleland LLC · Belgium · $15.5/hr
Your own route from Iowa to Wisconsin
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Wisconsin employers.
Plan my move to WisconsinSame move, by trade
CNA: Iowa to Wisconsin · RN or LPN: Iowa to Wisconsin · Truck driver: Iowa to Wisconsin · All licences: Iowa to Wisconsin
From Iowa to the states next to Wisconsin
Michigan (flat 4.25% state income tax) · Minnesota (progressive, top rate 9.85%) · Illinois (flat 4.95% state income tax)
To Wisconsin from the states next to Iowa
Minnesota · Illinois · Missouri · Nebraska · South Dakota
Everything about working in Wisconsin · All moves between states · All 50 states