Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Battle Creek, MI

Each occupation's median wage in Battle Creek, MI compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Battle Creek, MI pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Battle Creek, MI run 9.5% below the national average (2024), so a Battle Creek, MI salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Battle Creek, MI

OccupationMedian, Battle Creek, MI · vs. national

1Food Batchmakers$75,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $75,680+78.2%
2Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$78,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,870 – $78,020+30.4%
3Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,640 – $70,660+30.3%
4Social Workers, All Other$92,830
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $115,210+29.1%
5Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$80,450
Bachelor's degree
$37,680 – $99,200+27.8%
6Electricians$76,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,650 – $86,260+21.3%
7Construction Laborers$56,700
No formal educational credential
$39,380 – $65,000+20.3%
8Family Medicine Physicians$292,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$166,280 – $364,450+19.8%
9Sheet Metal Workers$72,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,270 – $97,350+17.1%
10Special Education Teachers, Middle School$77,460
Bachelor's degree
$44,100 – $89,350+15.9%
11Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$73,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,480 – $103,370+15.8%
12Driver/Sales Workers$44,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,380 – $57,340+15.6%
13Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,240 – $75,860+15.5%
14Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$73,720
Bachelor's degree
$33,330 – $104,010+15.5%
15Social and Community Service Managers$92,650
Bachelor's degree
$60,950 – $132,330+15.3%
16Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$68,370
Master's degree
$51,400 – $84,830+15.2%
17Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$57,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $62,460+15.0%
18Bartenders$39,430
No formal educational credential
$26,890 – $72,970+14.8%
19Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$73,380
Bachelor's degree
$47,000 – $89,450+12.7%
20Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$40,000
No formal educational credential
$39,360 – $44,420+12.2%
21Highway Maintenance Workers$56,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,060 – $61,150+11.8%
22Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$91,560
Bachelor's degree
$49,890 – $115,920+11.4%
23Tutors$48,040
Some college, no degree
$27,690 – $62,400+10.8%
24Industrial Machinery Mechanics$71,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,330 – $91,870+10.2%
25Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$49,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $57,290+10.0%
26Production Workers, All Other$43,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,960 – $60,280+9.3%
27Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,610 – $64,440+9.3%
28Counter and Rental Clerks$44,840
No formal educational credential
$30,910 – $68,150+8.6%
29Rehabilitation Counselors$50,490
Master's degree
$37,930 – $83,230+7.8%
30Nursing Assistants$45,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,230 – $54,500+7.6%
31Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$51,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,170 – $64,940+6.6%
32Instructional Coordinators$82,380
Master's degree
$63,450 – $99,380+6.4%
33Business Operations Specialists, All Other$88,320
Bachelor's degree
$61,090 – $119,430+6.3%
34Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$51,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,540 – $70,420+6.3%
35First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$51,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $59,600+5.4%
36Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,810
No formal educational credential
$27,120 – $44,280+5.4%
37Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,940 – $77,960+5.2%
38First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$58,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,730 – $74,710+5.0%
39Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48,680
No formal educational credential
$36,760 – $74,930+4.9%
40Parking Attendants$36,800
No formal educational credential
$26,020 – $43,890+4.7%
41Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$68,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $79,040+4.4%
42Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$77,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,470 – $77,300+4.3%
43Healthcare Social Workers$70,820
Master's degree
$52,300 – $105,310+4.3%
44Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$52,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,520 – $78,560+3.9%
45Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$36,710
No formal educational credential
$31,840 – $38,160+3.8%
46First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$60,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,860 – $88,240+3.7%
47Waiters and Waitresses$36,370
No formal educational credential
$26,960 – $62,350+3.2%
48Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$35,930
No formal educational credential
$28,120 – $44,790+3.0%
49Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$38,580
No formal educational credential
$30,130 – $45,620+3.0%
50Financial Specialists, All Other$83,550
Bachelor's degree
$39,250 – $121,410+3.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBattle Creek, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,370	$31,200 – $75,680	+78.2%
2	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,020	$56,870 – $78,020	+30.4%
3	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$45,640 – $70,660	+30.3%
4	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,830	$47,810 – $115,210	+29.1%
5	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$80,450	$37,680 – $99,200	+27.8%
6	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,630	$44,650 – $86,260	+21.3%
7	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,700	$39,380 – $65,000	+20.3%
8	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$292,490	$166,280 – $364,450	+19.8%
9	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,370	$42,270 – $97,350	+17.1%
10	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,460	$44,100 – $89,350	+15.9%
11	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,900	$45,480 – $103,370	+15.8%
12	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,820	$27,380 – $57,340	+15.6%
13	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,910	$37,240 – $75,860	+15.5%
14	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$73,720	$33,330 – $104,010	+15.5%
15	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$92,650	$60,950 – $132,330	+15.3%
16	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$68,370	$51,400 – $84,830	+15.2%
17	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,810	$46,220 – $62,460	+15.0%
18	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$39,430	$26,890 – $72,970	+14.8%
19	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,380	$47,000 – $89,450	+12.7%
20	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$40,000	$39,360 – $44,420	+12.2%
21	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,200	$38,060 – $61,150	+11.8%
22	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$91,560	$49,890 – $115,920	+11.4%
23	TutorsSome college, no degree	$48,040	$27,690 – $62,400	+10.8%
24	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,130	$58,330 – $91,870	+10.2%
25	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,100	$37,020 – $57,290	+10.0%
26	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,850	$25,960 – $60,280	+9.3%
27	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$33,610 – $64,440	+9.3%
28	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$44,840	$30,910 – $68,150	+8.6%
29	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$50,490	$37,930 – $83,230	+7.8%
30	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,470	$37,230 – $54,500	+7.6%
31	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,630	$44,170 – $64,940	+6.6%
32	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$82,380	$63,450 – $99,380	+6.4%
33	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,320	$61,090 – $119,430	+6.3%
34	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,770	$40,540 – $70,420	+6.3%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,200	$36,920 – $59,600	+5.4%
36	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$35,810	$27,120 – $44,280	+5.4%
37	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,740	$36,940 – $77,960	+5.2%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,750	$49,730 – $74,710	+5.0%
39	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,680	$36,760 – $74,930	+4.9%
40	Parking AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$36,800	$26,020 – $43,890	+4.7%
41	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,390	$47,600 – $79,040	+4.4%
42	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,290	$64,470 – $77,300	+4.3%
43	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$70,820	$52,300 – $105,310	+4.3%
44	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,290	$34,520 – $78,560	+3.9%
45	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,710	$31,840 – $38,160	+3.8%
46	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,610	$38,860 – $88,240	+3.7%
47	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$36,370	$26,960 – $62,350	+3.2%
48	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,930	$28,120 – $44,790	+3.0%
49	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$38,580	$30,130 – $45,620	+3.0%
50	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$83,550	$39,250 – $121,410	+3.0%

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