Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bay City, MI

Each occupation's median wage in Bay City, 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 Bay City, MI pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Bay City, MI run 8.1% below the national average (2024), so a Bay City, MI salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Bay City, MI

OccupationMedian, Bay City, MI · vs. national

1Chemists$132,480
Bachelor's degree
$97,440 – $161,920+45.2%
2Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$100,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,850 – $118,450+35.6%
3Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,210 – $70,660+30.3%
4Painters, Construction and Maintenance$64,200
No formal educational credential
$38,220 – $71,040+30.0%
5Chemical Technicians$78,120
Associate's degree
$59,800 – $91,290+29.4%
6Electricians$80,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,230 – $102,960+27.3%
7Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$75,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,080 – $101,350+25.8%
8Driver/Sales Workers$48,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,960 – $57,540+24.7%
9Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$74,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,380 – $97,600+24.1%
10Industrial Machinery Mechanics$78,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,400 – $101,190+22.4%
11Natural Sciences Managers$204,120
Bachelor's degree
$109,280 – $278,380+22.1%
12Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,040 – $106,870+16.8%
13Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$74,010
Bachelor's degree
$46,020 – $90,320+15.7%
14Chief Executives$247,680
Bachelor's degree
$106,990 – $458,490+15.7%
15Waiters and Waitresses$40,500
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $62,220+15.0%
16Postal Service Mail Carriers$68,640
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+13.4%
17Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$102,060
Bachelor's degree
$58,970 – $131,450+13.2%
18Management Analysts$114,610
Bachelor's degree
$60,880 – $189,300+12.5%
19Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,360 – $50,800+9.6%
20Tool and Die Makers$69,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,150 – $92,600+8.1%
21Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,840 – $85,430+7.5%
22Psychiatric Technicians$47,780
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,120 – $49,330+5.9%
23Instructional Coordinators$81,290
Master's degree
$58,050 – $90,730+5.0%
24Social and Community Service Managers$84,000
Bachelor's degree
$46,930 – $102,270+4.5%
25Healthcare Social Workers$70,960
Master's degree
$56,480 – $72,430+4.5%
26Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,640 – $57,830+1.5%
27Bartenders$34,720
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $73,770+1.1%
28Construction Laborers$47,360
No formal educational credential
$32,900 – $61,290+0.5%
29Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$48,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,230 – $78,950+0.2%
30First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,610 – $98,650+0.2%
31Industrial Engineers$102,590
Bachelor's degree
$79,720 – $155,590+0.1%
32First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$58,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,260 – $76,370-0.6%
33Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $59,620-0.7%
34Parts Salespersons$38,310
No formal educational credential
$28,940 – $64,020-0.8%
35Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,040 – $81,330-1.4%
36Facilities Managers$104,830
Bachelor's degree
$50,380 – $130,330-1.7%
37Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$60,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,370 – $81,410-2.0%
38First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$78,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,590 – $128,230-2.3%
39Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$57,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,570 – $69,880-2.3%
40Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,970 – $65,740-2.8%
41Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$45,120
No formal educational credential
$34,300 – $55,170-2.8%
42Highway Maintenance Workers$48,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,800 – $58,240-2.9%
43Power Plant Operators$98,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$98,930 – $124,090-3.0%
44Nurse Practitioners$127,830
Master's degree
$85,220 – $215,290-3.4%
45Pharmacists$135,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,690 – $159,860-4.0%
46Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$36,570
Associate's degree
$27,170 – $44,850-4.1%
47Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$38,610
No formal educational credential
$30,000 – $44,430-4.1%
48Home Health and Personal Care Aides$34,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,040 – $40,830-4.7%
49Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,820 – $73,800-4.7%
50Cooks, Restaurant$35,420
No formal educational credential
$29,030 – $43,170-5.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBay City, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$132,480	$97,440 – $161,920	+45.2%
2	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,820	$73,850 – $118,450	+35.6%
3	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$52,210 – $70,660	+30.3%
4	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$64,200	$38,220 – $71,040	+30.0%
5	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,120	$59,800 – $91,290	+29.4%
6	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,450	$45,230 – $102,960	+27.3%
7	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,310	$49,080 – $101,350	+25.8%
8	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,340	$25,960 – $57,540	+24.7%
9	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,030	$40,380 – $97,600	+24.1%
10	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,960	$48,400 – $101,190	+22.4%
11	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$204,120	$109,280 – $278,380	+22.1%
12	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,490	$39,040 – $106,870	+16.8%
13	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$74,010	$46,020 – $90,320	+15.7%
14	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$247,680	$106,990 – $458,490	+15.7%
15	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$40,500	$25,960 – $62,220	+15.0%
16	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$68,640	$42,390 – $81,040	+13.4%
17	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,060	$58,970 – $131,450	+13.2%
18	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$114,610	$60,880 – $189,300	+12.5%
19	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,350	$32,360 – $50,800	+9.6%
20	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,240	$44,150 – $92,600	+8.1%
21	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,760	$39,840 – $85,430	+7.5%
22	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,780	$39,120 – $49,330	+5.9%
23	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,290	$58,050 – $90,730	+5.0%
24	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$84,000	$46,930 – $102,270	+4.5%
25	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$70,960	$56,480 – $72,430	+4.5%
26	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,560	$36,640 – $57,830	+1.5%
27	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$34,720	$25,960 – $73,770	+1.1%
28	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$47,360	$32,900 – $61,290	+0.5%
29	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,810	$37,230 – $78,950	+0.2%
30	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,610	$44,610 – $98,650	+0.2%
31	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,590	$79,720 – $155,590	+0.1%
32	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,080	$37,260 – $76,370	-0.6%
33	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,620	$33,280 – $59,620	-0.7%
34	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$38,310	$28,940 – $64,020	-0.8%
35	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,170	$36,040 – $81,330	-1.4%
36	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,830	$50,380 – $130,330	-1.7%
37	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,530	$42,370 – $81,410	-2.0%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,050	$48,590 – $128,230	-2.3%
39	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,320	$43,570 – $69,880	-2.3%
40	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,000	$32,970 – $65,740	-2.8%
41	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,120	$34,300 – $55,170	-2.8%
42	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,780	$31,800 – $58,240	-2.9%
43	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,930	$98,930 – $124,090	-3.0%
44	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,830	$85,220 – $215,290	-3.4%
45	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,330	$109,690 – $159,860	-4.0%
46	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$36,570	$27,170 – $44,850	-4.1%
47	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,610	$30,000 – $44,430	-4.1%
48	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$34,100	$27,040 – $40,830	-4.7%
49	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,380	$53,820 – $73,800	-4.7%
50	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$35,420	$29,030 – $43,170	-5.3%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Bay City, MI

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