High paying jobs in Michigan

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Michigan. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Michigan run 3.8% below the national average (2024), so a Michigan salary is worth about 1.04× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Michigan.

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

Find high paying jobs in Michigan

OccupationMedian, Michigan · Employed

1Chief Executives$255,560
Bachelor's degree
$104,010 – $547,0904,950
2Nurse Anesthetists$247,010
Master's degree
$220,840 – $299,1202,300
3Family Medicine Physicians$214,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,320 – $382,2403,770
4Dentists, General$169,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,960 – $303,9803,620
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$166,930
Bachelor's degree
$117,490 – $218,05014,820
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,760
Bachelor's degree
$99,270 – $232,87016,010
7Physicians, All Other$155,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,990 – $465,93013,150
8General Internal Medicine Physicians$149,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,440 – $378,4702,060
9Purchasing Managers$142,120
Bachelor's degree
$96,530 – $214,7802,780
10Financial Managers$139,370
Bachelor's degree
$80,280 – $258,48022,490
11Human Resources Managers$138,930
Bachelor's degree
$88,990 – $224,8805,890
12Marketing Managers$138,510
Bachelor's degree
$80,260 – $222,9106,620
13Pharmacists$137,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,740 – $168,5408,780
14Sales Managers$136,870
Bachelor's degree
$69,790 – $230,07017,950
15Optometrists$135,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,110 – $213,8501,410
16Managers, All Other$134,260
Bachelor's degree
$78,140 – $210,9709,380
17Physician Assistants$131,510
Master's degree
$104,000 – $162,5706,310
18Nurse Practitioners$131,450
Master's degree
$101,640 – $165,8708,290
19Lawyers$130,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,180 – $238,37016,620
20Natural Sciences Managers$129,070
Bachelor's degree
$68,380 – $222,0302,220
21Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$127,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,580 – $225,8902,120
22Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$127,200
Bachelor's degree
$89,320 – $166,4102,960
23Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$125,650
Bachelor's degree
$60,070 – $194,5209,140
24Software Developers$125,570
Bachelor's degree
$78,930 – $166,51043,460
25Veterinarians$125,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,900 – $192,8002,030
26Engineers, All Other$121,000
Bachelor's degree
$69,990 – $166,3607,700
27Industrial Production Managers$120,660
Bachelor's degree
$77,110 – $182,06014,320
28Computer Hardware Engineers$119,670
Bachelor's degree
$78,240 – $176,7001,420
29Public Relations Managers$117,900
Bachelor's degree
$70,680 – $213,3601,720
30Sales Engineers$114,180
Bachelor's degree
$75,330 – $194,9802,290
31Computer Network Architects$112,040
Bachelor's degree
$71,400 – $167,9603,210
32Business Teachers, Postsecondary$111,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$43,360 – $229,1602,240
33Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$108,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,020 – $227,9203,430
34Education Administrators, Postsecondary$108,500
Master's degree
$62,420 – $236,6405,110
35Administrative Services Managers$108,210
Bachelor's degree
$66,210 – $169,4406,590
36Medical and Health Services Managers$107,570
Bachelor's degree
$66,140 – $192,44016,060
37Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$106,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,480 – $131,5702,800
38Information Security Analysts$106,230
Bachelor's degree
$64,150 – $165,7303,280
39Electrical Engineers$106,070
Bachelor's degree
$75,880 – $159,09010,840
40Computer Occupations, All Other$105,680
Bachelor's degree
$51,440 – $160,8307,440
41Mechanical Engineers$104,890
Bachelor's degree
$76,310 – $159,84034,630
42Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$104,020
Master's degree
$77,340 – $134,4309,610
43Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$103,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,290 – $173,7501,460
44Computer Systems Analysts$103,410
Bachelor's degree
$66,360 – $155,67014,070
45Construction Managers$103,230
Bachelor's degree
$61,830 – $171,3409,620
46Commercial and Industrial Designers$102,160
Bachelor's degree
$49,830 – $137,8502,930
47Industrial Engineers$101,680
Bachelor's degree
$74,060 – $140,14030,990
48Project Management Specialists$100,970
Bachelor's degree
$61,980 – $154,26025,330
49Physical Therapists$100,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,600 – $123,9808,630
50Data Scientists$100,590
Bachelor's degree
$60,830 – $162,6707,360

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

#	Occupation	MedianMichigan	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$255,560	$104,010 – $547,090	4,950
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$247,010	$220,840 – $299,120	2,300
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$214,070	$65,320 – $382,240	3,770
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$169,930	$109,960 – $303,980	3,620
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,930	$117,490 – $218,050	14,820
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,760	$99,270 – $232,870	16,010
7	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$155,480	$63,990 – $465,930	13,150
8	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$149,990	$59,440 – $378,470	2,060
9	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$142,120	$96,530 – $214,780	2,780
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,370	$80,280 – $258,480	22,490
11	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,930	$88,990 – $224,880	5,890
12	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,510	$80,260 – $222,910	6,620
13	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,860	$101,740 – $168,540	8,780
14	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,870	$69,790 – $230,070	17,950
15	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,650	$98,110 – $213,850	1,410
16	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$134,260	$78,140 – $210,970	9,380
17	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,510	$104,000 – $162,570	6,310
18	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$131,450	$101,640 – $165,870	8,290
19	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$130,520	$77,180 – $238,370	16,620
20	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,070	$68,380 – $222,030	2,220
21	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,230	$66,580 – $225,890	2,120
22	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$127,200	$89,320 – $166,410	2,960
23	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$125,650	$60,070 – $194,520	9,140
24	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$125,570	$78,930 – $166,510	43,460
25	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$125,390	$75,900 – $192,800	2,030
26	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$121,000	$69,990 – $166,360	7,700
27	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,660	$77,110 – $182,060	14,320
28	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,670	$78,240 – $176,700	1,420
29	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,900	$70,680 – $213,360	1,720
30	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$114,180	$75,330 – $194,980	2,290
31	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$112,040	$71,400 – $167,960	3,210
32	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$111,190	$43,360 – $229,160	2,240
33	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$108,970	$52,020 – $227,920	3,430
34	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$108,500	$62,420 – $236,640	5,110
35	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,210	$66,210 – $169,440	6,590
36	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,570	$66,140 – $192,440	16,060
37	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,890	$65,480 – $131,570	2,800
38	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$106,230	$64,150 – $165,730	3,280
39	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,070	$75,880 – $159,090	10,840
40	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$105,680	$51,440 – $160,830	7,440
41	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$104,890	$76,310 – $159,840	34,630
42	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$104,020	$77,340 – $134,430	9,610
43	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,620	$61,290 – $173,750	1,460
44	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,410	$66,360 – $155,670	14,070
45	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,230	$61,830 – $171,340	9,620
46	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$102,160	$49,830 – $137,850	2,930
47	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,680	$74,060 – $140,140	30,990
48	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,970	$61,980 – $154,260	25,330
49	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,900	$79,600 – $123,980	8,630
50	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$100,590	$60,830 – $162,670	7,360

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

Metro areas in Michigan

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Michigan

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Michigan

More for Michigan

Metro areas in Michigan

By field in Michigan

Without a degree

By state