Milwaukee County, WI jobs, unemployment and layoffs
Independent page. Not from or affiliated with the State of Wisconsin.
Looking for work in Wisconsin? See where you stand.
Not sure you match what employers here are hiring for? Get a free read on your fit, the jobs open near you and a plan for the weeks ahead.
Show me jobs near meMilwaukee County economy
3.7%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.5% the month before
458,482
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
927,656
people in Milwaukee County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$62,118
median household income
Source: Census ACS
40%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Milwaukee County ranks
Where Milwaukee County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #17Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Great Lakes58 / 100 · of 52
- #18Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes6 per 100 · of 53
- #25Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Midwest56 / 100 · of 68
- #25Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Great Lakes22% · of 100
Milwaukee County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 0.4% from 2022 to 2025
- Population down 1.5% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.7%, up 0.2 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+4,604 jobs), hotels & food (+2,047 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: finance & insurance (−2,365 jobs), admin & staffing (−2,140 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Milwaukee County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Wisconsin migrant services nonprofit to lay off nearly 50 employees several days after ChristmasWFRV Local 5 · Oct 29, 2026
- Gov. Evers, DWD Announce $6.6 Million in New Grants to Train Over 3,800 Wisconsin Workers in Advanced Manufacturing and AIUrban Milwaukee · Oct 12, 2026
- Wisconsin steel plant to layoff nearly 100 workersWFRV Local 5 on MSN · Oct 6, 2026
Learn and get funded in Milwaukee County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Milwaukee County layoffs
9
Layoff notices, last 12 months
601
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
8
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMOSTakes effect Dec 31, 2026 | Milwaukee | 44 | — | State record | |
| Maynard Steel Casting Company and Maynard Alloy Casting Company LLCTakes effect Dec 4, 2026 | Milwaukee | 77 | — | State record | |
| Henkel US Operations CorporationTakes effect Jun 20, 2026 | Oak Creek | 24 | — | State record | |
| Centers for Independence-MCFI Home CareTakes effect Oct 31, 2026 | Milwaukee | 43 | — | State record | |
| GW Mireles Inc.Takes effect Sep 1, 2026 | Milwaukee | 26 | — | State record | |
| Henkel US Operations CorporationTakes effect Jun 20, 2026 | Oak Creek | 57 | — | State record | |
| Regal Rexnord CorporationTakes effect Jun 30, 2026 | Cudahy | 70 | — | State record | |
| Cargill Meat Solutions CorpTakes effect Apr 11, 2026 | Milwaukee | 221 | — | State record | |
| Tekni-PlexTakes effect Mar 27, 2026 | Milwaukee | 39 | — | State record |
Employers hiring most in Milwaukee County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Michels38 open roles
- Harley-Davidson34 open roles
- Molson Coors Beverage26 open roles
- BDO USA14 open roles
- Clarios14 open roles
- Top Echelon Network (recruiter member boards)11 open roles
- Truity Partners11 open roles
- Froedtert ThedaCare Health10 open roles
- Langan10 open roles
- WEC Energy10 open roles
Largest employers headquartered in Milwaukee County
- Strattec Security1,001–5,000 employees
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee1,001–5,000 employees
Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.
Colleges in Milwaukee County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Public 4-year | 20,000+ |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 10,000–19,999 |
| Alverno College | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa | Wauwatosa | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Medical College of Wisconsin | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Mount Mary University | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
| Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology | Franklin | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex | Milwaukee | Public 4-year | Under 1,000 |
| Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology | Milwaukee | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Milwaukee County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Milwaukee County. 8 with dates announced.
- Expo! Expo! IAEE Annual Meeting
Nov 16 to Nov 18, 2026 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Early rates expired Sept 30.
- Wisconsin State Education Convention
Jan 20 to Jan 22, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Ticket $335 to $370. Early-bird $335 through Dec 15; $370 after; registration deadline Jan 4, 2027.
Open call for speakers · deadline Jun 19, 2026
- WEF Residuals, Biosolids, and Treatment Technology Conference
Apr 27 to Apr 30, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Registration and prices expected early February 2027.
Open call for speakers
- Opera Conference
May 12 to May 14, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Pricing not read.
- ALA Annual Conference & Expo (Association of Legal Administrators)
May 23 to May 26, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Ticket $1,525 to $1,925. Member early-bird $1,525 through Mar 26, standard member $1,925; nonmember and retiree rates also listed.
- AALHE Annual Conference
Jun 14 to Jun 16, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Cost not listed on the future-conferences page.
Open call for speakers
- Big I Fall Leadership and Education Convocation
Sep 22 to Sep 25, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Prices on individual event pages; not read.
- SPC Advance
Sep 28 to Sep 29, 2027 · Milwaukee, WI
Paid ticket. Prices not captured.
- AME International Conference
Usually October (next dates not announced) · Milwaukee, WI
Ticket About $2,639. Individual or team of 2-9: $2,639; non-members pay an extra $150 unless they join AME; larger team tiers…
- NAGC Annual Convention
Usually November (next dates not announced) · Milwaukee, WI
Ticket $649 to $819. Full Conference: Member $649 (pay now)/$669 (pay later); Non-member $799/$819 (column mapping on page…
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Milwaukee County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Wisconsin? How to file for unemployment in Wisconsin (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
Job Center Central (Maximus)
Milwaukee · Comprehensive · 414-203-8500
Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm; Wednesday 8 am - 7 pm
Milwaukee Job Center Central
Milwaukee · Comprehensive · 414-874-0300
Monday-Friday 8am-5pm Wednesdays 8am-7pm
Milwaukee Southeast Job Center
Milwaukee · Affiliate · 414-389-6607
Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:30pm
Southeast Wisconsin Job Center
Milwaukee · Affiliate · 414-267-3291
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cities in Milwaukee County
Other Wisconsin counties
Laid off or looking for work in Milwaukee County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Wisconsin’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Wisconsin unemployment benefits and severance rules.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Job seekers in Milwaukee County looking to you for help, or openings you cannot fill?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers in Milwaukee County.