High paying entry level jobs in Ann Arbor, MI

These occupations in Ann Arbor, MI ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Ann Arbor, MI run 0.9% above the national average (2024), so a Ann Arbor, MI salary is worth about 0.99× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Ann Arbor, MI

OccupationMedian, Ann Arbor, MI · Employed

1Economics Teachers, Postsecondary$185,830
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,550 – $368,85070
2Dentists, General$174,870
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,090 – $431,520190
3Pharmacists$166,350
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,630 – $175,870570
4Nurse Practitioners$143,580
Master's degree
$123,700 – $166,450870
5Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$142,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,610 – $230,950140
6Physics Teachers, Postsecondary$141,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,470 – $172,89080
7Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$140,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,860 – $225,890710
8Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$138,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,060 – $226,86080
9Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$137,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,670 – $325,900310
10Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary$137,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,100 – $314,500140
11English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$137,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,820 – $138,870350
12Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$136,560
Bachelor's degree
$85,760 – $170,940130
13Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary$136,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$88,470 – $179,100160
14Physician Assistants$135,310
Master's degree
$113,430 – $162,570810
15Lawyers$132,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,450 – $274,160640
16Budget Analysts$127,860
Bachelor's degree
$76,720 – $154,11090
17Mechanical Engineers$127,310
Bachelor's degree
$76,710 – $160,5402,280
18Veterinarians$127,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,780 – $191,470100
19Software Developers$126,830
Bachelor's degree
$81,500 – $170,6802,740
20Engineers, All Other$121,530
Bachelor's degree
$67,830 – $166,620250
21Data Scientists$112,680
Bachelor's degree
$60,810 – $158,530340
22Electrical Engineers$109,240
Bachelor's degree
$75,210 – $159,090810
23Environmental Engineers$109,140
Bachelor's degree
$50,950 – $157,21090
24Biochemists and Biophysicists$109,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,820 – $171,87090
25Database Administrators$108,740
Bachelor's degree
$69,150 – $130,100100
26Physical Therapists$106,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,940 – $122,130570
27Computer Occupations, All Other$106,240
Bachelor's degree
$57,340 – $166,860390
28Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary$106,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,380 – $172,470240
29Industrial Engineers$105,610
Bachelor's degree
$78,370 – $162,070930
30Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$105,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,600 – $230,50070
31Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$105,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,560 – $173,210100
32Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$105,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,990 – $179,090290
33Statisticians$105,200
Master's degree
$66,250 – $183,75090
34Computer Systems Analysts$104,550
Bachelor's degree
$80,540 – $132,6501,080
35Project Management Specialists$103,690
Bachelor's degree
$66,220 – $157,8701,430
36Registered Nurses$103,450
Bachelor's degree
$82,680 – $135,33010,980
37Aerospace Engineers$102,290
Bachelor's degree
$64,740 – $171,700100
38Financial and Investment Analysts$98,620
Bachelor's degree
$70,730 – $128,280340
39Civil Engineers$97,570
Bachelor's degree
$62,340 – $141,350220
40Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$97,250
Bachelor's degree
$53,250 – $130,110260
41Network and Computer Systems Administrators$96,580
Bachelor's degree
$69,540 – $124,990380
42Occupational Therapists$95,950
Master's degree
$73,310 – $104,950280
43Legal Support Workers, All Other$95,890
Associate's degree
$55,690 – $190,24070
44Dental Hygienists$91,900
Associate's degree
$74,000 – $99,700360
45Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$91,020
Master's degree
$69,640 – $139,480220
46Web Developers$89,000
Bachelor's degree
$53,460 – $117,590100
47Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$87,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,310 – $184,170150
48Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$85,610
Bachelor's degree
$64,010 – $128,380150
49Computer Programmers$85,580
Bachelor's degree
$49,430 – $136,010310
50Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$85,370
Bachelor's degree
$68,020 – $127,070230

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAnn Arbor, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Economics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$185,830	$100,550 – $368,850	70
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$174,870	$62,090 – $431,520	190
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$166,350	$120,630 – $175,870	570
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$143,580	$123,700 – $166,450	870
5	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$142,840	$78,610 – $230,950	140
6	Physics Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$141,400	$86,470 – $172,890	80
7	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$140,450	$83,860 – $225,890	710
8	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$138,330	$82,060 – $226,860	80
9	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,720	$67,670 – $325,900	310
10	Political Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,430	$81,100 – $314,500	140
11	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,400	$66,820 – $138,870	350
12	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$136,560	$85,760 – $170,940	130
13	Computer Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$136,090	$88,470 – $179,100	160
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$135,310	$113,430 – $162,570	810
15	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$132,920	$79,450 – $274,160	640
16	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$127,860	$76,720 – $154,110	90
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,310	$76,710 – $160,540	2,280
18	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$127,270	$82,780 – $191,470	100
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,830	$81,500 – $170,680	2,740
20	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$121,530	$67,830 – $166,620	250
21	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$112,680	$60,810 – $158,530	340
22	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,240	$75,210 – $159,090	810
23	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,140	$50,950 – $157,210	90
24	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$109,070	$62,820 – $171,870	90
25	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$108,740	$69,150 – $130,100	100
26	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,980	$81,940 – $122,130	570
27	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,240	$57,340 – $166,860	390
28	Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,140	$66,380 – $172,470	240
29	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,610	$78,370 – $162,070	930
30	Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,520	$58,600 – $230,500	70
31	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,440	$52,560 – $173,210	100
32	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$105,290	$67,990 – $179,090	290
33	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$105,200	$66,250 – $183,750	90
34	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,550	$80,540 – $132,650	1,080
35	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,690	$66,220 – $157,870	1,430
36	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$103,450	$82,680 – $135,330	10,980
37	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,290	$64,740 – $171,700	100
38	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,620	$70,730 – $128,280	340
39	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,570	$62,340 – $141,350	220
40	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$97,250	$53,250 – $130,110	260
41	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$96,580	$69,540 – $124,990	380
42	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$95,950	$73,310 – $104,950	280
43	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$95,890	$55,690 – $190,240	70
44	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,900	$74,000 – $99,700	360
45	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$91,020	$69,640 – $139,480	220
46	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$89,000	$53,460 – $117,590	100
47	Social Work Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$87,920	$53,310 – $184,170	150
48	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,610	$64,010 – $128,380	150
49	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$85,580	$49,430 – $136,010	310
50	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,370	$68,020 – $127,070	230

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Ann Arbor, MI. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Ann Arbor, MI to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Ann Arbor, MI

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