High paying entry level jobs in Traverse City, MI

These occupations in Traverse City, 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 Traverse City, MI run 6.6% below the national average (2024), so a Traverse City, MI salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Traverse City, MI

OccupationMedian, Traverse City, MI · Employed

1Dentists, General$171,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,220 – $317,27080
2Pharmacists$143,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$119,310 – $171,570150
3Physician Assistants$134,180
Master's degree
$102,270 – $167,580170
4Veterinarians$124,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,880 – $185,03030
5Nurse Practitioners$123,910
Master's degree
$101,930 – $153,570120
6Optometrists$118,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,790 – $159,62040
7Lawyers$107,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,330 – $236,650190
8Physical Therapists$101,640
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,880 – $124,060240
9Electrical Engineers$101,210
Bachelor's degree
$68,740 – $153,94060
10Mechanical Engineers$98,900
Bachelor's degree
$65,650 – $134,620140
11Computer Systems Analysts$96,510
Bachelor's degree
$66,360 – $119,40090
12Software Developers$95,860
Bachelor's degree
$64,200 – $139,040140
13Civil Engineers$94,280
Bachelor's degree
$61,940 – $129,020120
14Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,290
Bachelor's degree
$62,870 – $125,900110
15Industrial Engineers$86,560
Bachelor's degree
$61,200 – $121,790130
16Computer Programmers$85,590
Bachelor's degree
$54,800 – $131,71030
17Occupational Therapists$84,260
Master's degree
$67,000 – $105,020120
18Project Management Specialists$83,720
Bachelor's degree
$56,120 – $130,480260
19Registered Nurses$83,690
Bachelor's degree
$73,230 – $105,8202,020
20Computer Occupations, All Other$82,330
Bachelor's degree
$42,990 – $140,85040
21Dental Hygienists$81,570
Associate's degree
$78,050 – $94,730190
22Financial and Investment Analysts$80,100
Bachelor's degree
$60,680 – $146,26050
23Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$80,090
Bachelor's degree
$46,090 – $80,09050
24Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,400
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $135,40040
25Urban and Regional Planners$79,270
Master's degree
$33,640 – $98,50060
26Business Operations Specialists, All Other$78,520
Bachelor's degree
$43,680 – $124,650140
27Data Scientists$77,420
Bachelor's degree
$50,020 – $118,45060
28Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,580
Bachelor's degree
$46,420 – $82,400200
29Logisticians$75,180
Bachelor's degree
$52,880 – $114,31040
30Accountants and Auditors$74,820
Bachelor's degree
$50,790 – $120,960610
31Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$73,500
Bachelor's degree
$49,200 – $100,89040
32Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$68,060
Bachelor's degree
$41,380 – $81,850120
33Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$67,900
Associate's degree
$52,510 – $101,76090
34Social Workers, All Other$66,880
Bachelor's degree
$36,010 – $106,35040
35Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$66,200
Bachelor's degree
$47,480 – $82,380380
36Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$66,020
Bachelor's degree
$47,490 – $81,170450
37Human Resources Specialists$64,480
Bachelor's degree
$47,790 – $98,110270
38Fundraisers$63,400
Bachelor's degree
$44,850 – $92,500100
39Surgical Technologists$63,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,710 – $73,49060
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,940 – $78,520140
41Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,230
Bachelor's degree
$47,470 – $81,37080
42Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$61,780
Master's degree
$39,760 – $85,100100
43Public Relations Specialists$61,760
Bachelor's degree
$36,930 – $97,150110
44Physical Therapist Assistants$61,290
Associate's degree
$49,650 – $77,480130
45Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$60,570
Associate's degree
$44,600 – $83,72040
46Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550
Bachelor's degree
$43,280 – $82,160220
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$59,460
Bachelor's degree
$38,890 – $96,680340
48Health Education Specialists$58,700
Bachelor's degree
$39,310 – $100,03040
49Paralegals and Legal Assistants$56,270
Associate's degree
$39,480 – $78,310120
50Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$54,950
Bachelor's degree
$35,360 – $79,90050

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

#	Occupation	MedianTraverse City, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$171,740	$110,220 – $317,270	80
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$143,050	$119,310 – $171,570	150
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,180	$102,270 – $167,580	170
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,330	$77,880 – $185,030	30
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$123,910	$101,930 – $153,570	120
6	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$118,030	$72,790 – $159,620	40
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,460	$67,330 – $236,650	190
8	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,640	$81,880 – $124,060	240
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,210	$68,740 – $153,940	60
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,900	$65,650 – $134,620	140
11	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,510	$66,360 – $119,400	90
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$95,860	$64,200 – $139,040	140
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,280	$61,940 – $129,020	120
14	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,290	$62,870 – $125,900	110
15	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$86,560	$61,200 – $121,790	130
16	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$85,590	$54,800 – $131,710	30
17	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$84,260	$67,000 – $105,020	120
18	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$83,720	$56,120 – $130,480	260
19	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$83,690	$73,230 – $105,820	2,020
20	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,330	$42,990 – $140,850	40
21	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$81,570	$78,050 – $94,730	190
22	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,100	$60,680 – $146,260	50
23	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$80,090	$46,090 – $80,090	50
24	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,400	$52,000 – $135,400	40
25	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$79,270	$33,640 – $98,500	60
26	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,520	$43,680 – $124,650	140
27	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$77,420	$50,020 – $118,450	60
28	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,580	$46,420 – $82,400	200
29	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,180	$52,880 – $114,310	40
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$74,820	$50,790 – $120,960	610
31	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$73,500	$49,200 – $100,890	40
32	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$68,060	$41,380 – $81,850	120
33	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$67,900	$52,510 – $101,760	90
34	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$66,880	$36,010 – $106,350	40
35	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$66,200	$47,480 – $82,380	380
36	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$66,020	$47,490 – $81,170	450
37	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,480	$47,790 – $98,110	270
38	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$63,400	$44,850 – $92,500	100
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,230	$52,710 – $73,490	60
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,260	$51,940 – $78,520	140
41	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,230	$47,470 – $81,370	80
42	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$61,780	$39,760 – $85,100	100
43	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,760	$36,930 – $97,150	110
44	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,290	$49,650 – $77,480	130
45	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$60,570	$44,600 – $83,720	40
46	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$59,550	$43,280 – $82,160	220
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,460	$38,890 – $96,680	340
48	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$58,700	$39,310 – $100,030	40
49	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$56,270	$39,480 – $78,310	120
50	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$54,950	$35,360 – $79,900	50

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Traverse City, 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.

More for Traverse City, MI

Other metro areas in MI

By field in Traverse City, MI

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Traverse City, MI

More for Traverse City, MI

Other metro areas in MI

By field in Traverse City, MI

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state