Salaries · United States · Michigan
Salaries in Michigan 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Michigan is $49,270 a year ($23.69 an hour), 3% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 28th highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Michigan earn a median of $60,750 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Michigan: the key figures
| Figure | Michigan | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $49,270 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $64,920 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $30,290 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $110,650 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 4,403,730 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $60,750 ± $195 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $72,875 ± $293 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 96.2 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $13.73 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $49,270, a single person keeps about $39,925 a year ($3,327 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Michigan income tax. With prices 4% below the US average, $49,270 here buys what $51,200 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $49,270 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,732 |
| Social Security | -$3,055 |
| Medicare | -$714 |
| Michigan income tax | -$1,843 |
| Take-home a year | $39,925 |
What drives pay in Michigan
Michigan's pay is still built around the car. Motor vehicle, body and parts manufacturing made up 5.6% of the state's GDP in 2025, more than nine times its 0.6% share of the US economy, and manufacturing overall was 15.4% (US 9.5%), according to BEA. Assemblers and fabricators are the most common job in the state, 112,310 of them on a median of $44,690. The engineering behind the industry shows at the top of the pay scale: there are 14,820 architectural and engineering managers, on a median of $166,930.
The all-jobs median of $49,270 is 3% below the US and 28th of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Michigan earn a median of $60,750 (Census), close to the US figure of $61,657.
The auto industry has been shrinking, though. BLS payroll figures, published by the St. Louis Fed, put transportation equipment manufacturing in Michigan at 174,300 jobs in 2025, down from 190,300 in 2023. Parts makers fell from 123,000 jobs to 111,700 and vehicle assembly from 48,900 to 44,900 over the same two years, and Michigan's factories as a whole employed 585,900 people in 2025, 32,000 fewer than in 2023.
Health care is a steadier source of well-paid work. Hospitals produce 3.5% of GDP (US 2.4%), and registered nurses are the third most common job, on a median of $94,300. Real GDP grew 2.2% in 2025, close to the US 2.3%, but only 10.4% since 2019, against 15.6% nationally.
The highest-paid jobs in Michigan
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 4,950 | $255,560 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,300 | $247,010 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,770 | $214,070 |
| Pediatricians, General | 1,340 | $204,690 |
| Dentists, General | 3,620 | $169,930 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 14,820 | $166,930 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 16,010 | $163,760 |
| Physicians, All Other | 13,150 | $155,480 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 2,060 | $149,990 |
| Purchasing Managers | 2,780 | $142,120 |
| Financial Managers | 22,490 | $139,370 |
| Human Resources Managers | 5,890 | $138,930 |
| Marketing Managers | 6,620 | $138,510 |
| Pharmacists | 8,780 | $137,860 |
| Sales Managers | 17,950 | $136,870 |
The most common jobs in Michigan
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 112,310 | $44,690 | $21.49 |
| Retail Salespersons | 111,010 | $34,640 | $16.65 |
| Registered Nurses | 104,950 | $94,300 | $45.34 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 103,130 | $28,930 | $13.91 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 95,020 | $35,000 | $16.83 |
| Cashiers | 92,930 | $29,740 | $14.30 |
| Office Clerks, General | 88,030 | $44,820 | $21.55 |
| General and Operations Managers | 85,860 | $99,530 | $47.85 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 82,730 | $35,930 | $17.27 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 79,410 | $38,860 | $18.68 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 71,310 | $43,950 | $21.13 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 65,790 | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 65,090 | $37,760 | $18.16 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 60,800 | $57,180 | $27.49 |
| Software Developers | 43,460 | $125,570 | $60.37 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Michigan
Official BLS medians for Michigan; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,300 | $247,010 |
| Dentist | 3,620 | $169,930 |
| Pharmacist | 8,780 | $137,860 |
| Physician Assistant | 6,310 | $131,510 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 8,290 | $131,450 |
| Lawyer | 16,620 | $130,520 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $128,960 | |
| Commercial Pilot | 1,390 | $126,670 |
| Software Engineer | 43,460 | $125,570 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 360 | $118,930 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 3,280 | $106,230 |
| Project Manager | 25,330 | $100,970 |
| Actuary | 570 | $100,640 |
| Data Scientist | 7,360 | $100,590 |
| Elevator Technician | 560 | $99,140 |
| Financial Analyst | 7,400 | $95,420 |
| Registered Nurse | 104,950 | $94,300 |
| Dental Hygienist | 8,640 | $83,790 |
| UX Designer | 1,750 | $81,010 |
| Plumber | 14,120 | $80,190 |
| Accountant | 41,460 | $78,820 |
| Compliance Officer | 9,720 | $77,390 |
| Electrician | 23,530 | $76,270 |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 3,380 | $74,900 |
| Flight Attendant | $62,490 | |
| Paralegal | 7,730 | $62,170 |
| HVAC Technician | 12,590 | $60,850 |
| Welder | 13,330 | $49,990 |
Michigan and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $49,270 | 96.2 | $51,200 |
| Indiana | $47,860 | 93.3 | $51,300 |
| Ohio | $49,380 | 92.8 | $53,200 |
| Wisconsin | $50,270 | 94.1 | $53,400 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Michigan, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics State and Area Employment (CES), Michigan, annual averages, not seasonally adjusted, annual data to 2025, accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics State and Area Employment (CES), Michigan, annual averages, not seasonally adjusted, annual data to 2025, accessed 31 Oct 2026
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics State and Area Employment (CES), Michigan, annual averages, not seasonally adjusted, annual data to 2025, accessed 31 Oct 2026
Related
- Salary comparison by city: what a salary is worth in another US city
- Salaries in the United States