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Average Salary in Michigan
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Michigan, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 755 occupations in Michigan. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Michigan's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Michigan jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Michigan
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Michigan is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 633.7% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 530 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Michigan pays 34.2% higher for this work. Next on the list are orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric at a mean of $239,200+ and radiologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,180 people in Michigan, so they describe the top of the Michigan wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 530 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 310 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 340 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 500 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 1,680 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 760 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 170 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 140 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 2,650 | — | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 230 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 3,940 | $105.40 | $219,230 | $239,200+ |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 520 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,810 | $109.26 | $227,270 | $233,870 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,960 | $112.75 | $234,520 | $230,360 |
Largest occupations in Michigan
The occupation with the most jobs in Michigan is miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators, employing an estimated 124,340 people at a median annual wage of $41,870 and a mean of $48,550. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $42,210, so Michigan's typical pay for this work runs 0.8% lower. The next-largest occupations are fast food and counter workers (114,880 jobs, median $28,870) and retail salespersons (111,210 jobs, median $33,340). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Michigan pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 124,340 | $41,870 | $48,550 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 114,880 | $28,870 | $29,410 |
| Retail Salespersons | 111,210 | $33,340 | $38,270 |
| Registered Nurses | 104,210 | $85,670 | $90,580 |
| Cashiers | 89,450 | $29,190 | $30,160 |
| Office Clerks, General | 89,290 | $43,950 | $45,170 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 88,690 | $35,830 | $37,950 |
| General and Operations Managers | 86,000 | $99,660 | $124,310 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 83,960 | $33,410 | $33,520 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 69,830 | $42,560 | $45,460 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 68,080 | $38,850 | $41,220 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 64,920 | $35,940 | $40,530 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 64,190 | $35,000 | $35,880 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 59,910 | $55,140 | $55,090 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 43,910 | $77,720 | $85,460 |
Where Michigan pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Michigan median with its own national median shows where Michigan's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Michigan jobs, the largest premium is for millwrights: a median of $83,240 in Michigan versus $65,170 nationally, 27.7% higher. The largest discount is for computer programmers, at $68,790 in Michigan versus $98,670 nationally, 30.3% lower. In total, 109 of the 424 occupations with 1,000 or more Michigan jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 254 of the 755 occupations published for Michigan have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Michigan's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Michigan median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millwrights | $83,240 | $65,170 | +27.7% |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $64,020 | $51,500 | +24.3% |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $92,100 | $74,690 | +23.3% |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $79,230 | $64,520 | +22.8% |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $59,290 | $48,350 | +22.6% |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | $60,230 | $77,180 | -22.0% |
| Producers and Directors | $62,710 | $83,480 | -24.9% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $113,620 | $155,020 | -26.7% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $46,940 | $64,690 | -27.4% |
| Computer Programmers | $68,790 | $98,670 | -30.3% |
Detailed Michigan occupation guides
Michigan salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Michigan?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Michigan, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Michigan?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Michigan, the largest occupation, miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators, paid a median of $41,870 across 124,340 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 755 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Michigan have?
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators is the largest occupation published for Michigan, with an estimated 124,340 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $48,550.
Which occupations pay more in Michigan than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Michigan jobs, millwrights shows the largest premium: a median of $83,240 in Michigan versus $65,170 nationally, 27.7% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.