Average Salaries in Michigan
Explore salaries across 786 occupations in Michigan. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $70.1K, +6.6% 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: 786 occupations and 4,381,740 total jobs in Michigan.
How the state compares
Michigan pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Michigan has a large and diverse labor market, with meaningful employment across most occupations.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Radiologists. 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 Michigan
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 Michigan
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Radiologists | $485.9K | 360 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers | $428.6K | N/A |
| Cardiologists | $419K | 340 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $417.8K | 910 |
| Dermatologists | $414.9K | N/A |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $413.5K | 200 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $412.5K | 440 |
| Orthodontists | $357.1K | 140 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $303.1K | 140 |
| Psychiatrists | $291.9K | 560 |
Largest occupations in Michigan
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 112,310 | $44.7K |
| Retail Salespersons | 111,010 | $34.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 104,950 | $94.3K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 103,130 | $28.9K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 95,020 | $35K |
| Cashiers | 92,930 | $29.7K |
| Office Clerks, General | 88,030 | $44.8K |
| General And Operations Managers | 85,860 | $99.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 82,730 | $35.9K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 79,410 | $38.9K |
What Michigan 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 Michigan than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Michigan
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Model Makers, Metal And Plastic | 9.64 | $60.5K |
| Patternmakers, Metal And Plastic | 5.94 | $53.8K |
| Tool And Die Makers | 5.84 | $65.6K |
| Foundry Mold And Coremakers | 5.67 | $46.2K |
| Engine And Other Machine Assemblers | 5.22 | $61K |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 4.81 | $68.2K |
| Fallers | 4.63 | $51.7K |
| Cutting, Punching, And Press Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 4.55 | $46.1K |
| Mechanical Engineers | 4.12 | $104.9K |
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | 3.97 | $39.8K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Michigan
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Michigan
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $71.3K | 1,886,000 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $65K | 584,660 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $73.2K | 209,020 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $66.6K | 207,890 |
| Flint, MI | $62.3K | 127,540 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $64K | 114,780 |
| Saginaw, MI | $63.9K | 72,900 |
| Traverse City, MI | $61.4K | 62,250 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $60.9K | 53,900 |
| Niles, MI | $61.4K | 53,240 |
Common salary questions for Michigan
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 states 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.