Average Salaries in Bay City, MI
Explore salaries across 178 occupations in Bay City, MI. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $61.2K, -6.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 178 occupations and 28,050 total jobs in Bay City, MI.
How the metro compares
Bay City, MI pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Bay City, MI is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Chief Executives. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Bay City, MI
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Bay City, MI
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $247.7K | 40 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $204.1K | 50 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $160.6K | 60 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $159.9K | 100 |
| Pharmacists | $135.3K | 60 |
| Chemists | $132.5K | 250 |
| Sales Managers | $130.8K | 110 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $127.8K | 50 |
| Software Developers | $124.4K | 90 |
| Financial Managers | $124.1K | 120 |
Largest occupations in Bay City, MI
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,380 | $28.1K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,040 | $34.1K |
| Retail Salespersons | 920 | $33.3K |
| Cashiers | 910 | $29.2K |
| Registered Nurses | 810 | N/A |
| Office Clerks, General | 770 | $38.1K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 740 | $33.3K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 700 | $30.2K |
| General And Operations Managers | 650 | $81.5K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 570 | $40.5K |
What Bay City, MI specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Bay City, MI than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Bay City, MI
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Chemists | 13.84 | $132.5K |
| Power Plant Operators | 8.24 | $98.9K |
| Chemical Technicians | 6.52 | $78.1K |
| Funeral Attendants | 5.37 | $28.9K |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 4.30 | $59K |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 3.82 | $47.8K |
| Control And Valve Installers And Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 3.70 | $100.8K |
| Clergy | 3.62 | $56.8K |
| Library Assistants, Clerical | 3.40 | $30.3K |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, And Mental Health Counselors | 3.24 | $37.6K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Bay City, MI
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.