Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, MI

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

Cost of living: prices in Jackson, MI run 8.2% below the national average (2024), so a Jackson, 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 Jackson, MI

OccupationMedian, Jackson, MI · vs. national

1Chief Executives$298,440
Bachelor's degree
$129,500 – $616,670+39.5%
2Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,520 – $70,660+30.3%
3Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$81,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,320 – $109,220+28.4%
4Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$133,680
Bachelor's degree
$59,540 – $193,390+27.4%
5Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$81,860
Bachelor's degree
$67,500 – $82,470+23.5%
6Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$51,390
Bachelor's degree
$30,130 – $83,570+23.3%
7Tutors$52,000
Some college, no degree
$30,220 – $64,790+20.0%
8Child, Family, and School Social Workers$70,350
Bachelor's degree
$45,800 – $86,030+18.1%
9Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$77,430
Bachelor's degree
$68,910 – $83,180+16.8%
10Managers, All Other$165,710
Bachelor's degree
$81,680 – $214,200+16.8%
11Parts Salespersons$44,030
No formal educational credential
$30,210 – $76,630+14.0%
12Waiters and Waitresses$39,920
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $63,840+13.3%
13Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,400
Associate's degree
$43,870 – $83,720+13.0%
14Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,910
Bachelor's degree
$46,520 – $95,360+12.0%
15Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$91,640
Bachelor's degree
$62,020 – $115,600+11.5%
16Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$39,650
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $39,650+11.2%
17Data Entry Keyers$45,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,000 – $59,990+11.2%
18Computer Occupations, All Other$128,570
Bachelor's degree
$57,100 – $169,620+10.3%
19Food Batchmakers$45,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,310 – $62,510+8.7%
20Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$84,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,420 – $119,250+8.7%
21Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$39,990
No formal educational credential
$26,580 – $40,940+7.2%
22Social and Community Service Managers$85,860
Bachelor's degree
$39,080 – $102,620+6.8%
23Personal Financial Advisors$111,990
Bachelor's degree
$44,760 – $350,390+6.6%
24Civil Engineers$107,320
Bachelor's degree
$65,500 – $134,140+6.4%
25Dentists, General$181,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,990 – $357,350+6.3%
26Driver/Sales Workers$41,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,740 – $57,670+6.3%
27Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$83,070
Associate's degree
$59,440 – $104,010+6.2%
28Roofers$58,320
No formal educational credential
$45,390 – $75,900+5.2%
29Instructional Coordinators$81,480
Master's degree
$51,160 – $95,520+5.2%
30Special Education Teachers, All Other$80,210
Bachelor's degree
$61,320 – $99,770+4.7%
31Public Relations Specialists$77,860
Bachelor's degree
$39,290 – $136,570+4.2%
32Bartenders$35,740
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $75,450+4.1%
33Dietetic Technicians$39,190
Associate's degree
$32,320 – $40,000+4.1%
34Management Analysts$105,410
Bachelor's degree
$64,480 – $169,640+3.5%
35Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$50,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,500 – $64,570+2.6%
36Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,340 – $63,320+2.5%
37Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$51,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,640 – $78,130+2.5%
38First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$81,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,250 – $121,250+2.4%
39Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$38,360
No formal educational credential
$30,410 – $45,970+2.4%
40Sales Managers$151,710
Bachelor's degree
$75,650 – $219,350+2.3%
41Coaches and Scouts$48,430
Bachelor's degree
$25,960 – $75,690+2.3%
42Construction Laborers$48,130
No formal educational credential
$32,000 – $61,830+2.1%
43Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$63,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,960 – $84,600+2.0%
44Security Guards$38,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,160 – $48,850+1.9%
45Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,580
Bachelor's degree
$46,920 – $95,700+1.9%
46Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,370 – $88,850+1.8%
47Physical Therapists$104,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,240 – $130,250+1.2%
48Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,570
Associate's degree
$28,300 – $53,420+1.1%
49Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$48,300
Some college, no degree
$34,200 – $68,500+1.0%
50Buyers and Purchasing Agents$78,410
Bachelor's degree
$47,430 – $120,540+0.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianJackson, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$298,440	$129,500 – $616,670	+39.5%
2	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$47,520 – $70,660	+30.3%
3	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,930	$44,320 – $109,220	+28.4%
4	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$133,680	$59,540 – $193,390	+27.4%
5	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,860	$67,500 – $82,470	+23.5%
6	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$51,390	$30,130 – $83,570	+23.3%
7	TutorsSome college, no degree	$52,000	$30,220 – $64,790	+20.0%
8	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$70,350	$45,800 – $86,030	+18.1%
9	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,430	$68,910 – $83,180	+16.8%
10	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$165,710	$81,680 – $214,200	+16.8%
11	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$44,030	$30,210 – $76,630	+14.0%
12	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$39,920	$25,960 – $63,840	+13.3%
13	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,400	$43,870 – $83,720	+13.0%
14	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,910	$46,520 – $95,360	+12.0%
15	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$91,640	$62,020 – $115,600	+11.5%
16	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$39,650	$31,200 – $39,650	+11.2%
17	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,970	$32,000 – $59,990	+11.2%
18	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,570	$57,100 – $169,620	+10.3%
19	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,970	$35,310 – $62,510	+8.7%
20	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,810	$51,420 – $119,250	+8.7%
21	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$39,990	$26,580 – $40,940	+7.2%
22	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$85,860	$39,080 – $102,620	+6.8%
23	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$111,990	$44,760 – $350,390	+6.6%
24	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,320	$65,500 – $134,140	+6.4%
25	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$181,800	$107,990 – $357,350	+6.3%
26	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,220	$26,740 – $57,670	+6.3%
27	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$83,070	$59,440 – $104,010	+6.2%
28	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$58,320	$45,390 – $75,900	+5.2%
29	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,480	$51,160 – $95,520	+5.2%
30	Special Education Teachers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,210	$61,320 – $99,770	+4.7%
31	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,860	$39,290 – $136,570	+4.2%
32	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$35,740	$25,960 – $75,450	+4.1%
33	Dietetic TechniciansAssociate's degree	$39,190	$32,320 – $40,000	+4.1%
34	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,410	$64,480 – $169,640	+3.5%
35	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,520	$33,500 – $64,570	+2.6%
36	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,410	$43,340 – $63,320	+2.5%
37	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,870	$31,640 – $78,130	+2.5%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,770	$48,250 – $121,250	+2.4%
39	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$38,360	$30,410 – $45,970	+2.4%
40	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$151,710	$75,650 – $219,350	+2.3%
41	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$48,430	$25,960 – $75,690	+2.3%
42	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$48,130	$32,000 – $61,830	+2.1%
43	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,030	$43,960 – $84,600	+2.0%
44	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,750	$30,160 – $48,850	+1.9%
45	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,580	$46,920 – $95,700	+1.9%
46	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,700	$46,370 – $88,850	+1.8%
47	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,000	$81,240 – $130,250	+1.2%
48	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$38,570	$28,300 – $53,420	+1.1%
49	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$48,300	$34,200 – $68,500	+1.0%
50	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$78,410	$47,430 – $120,540	+0.9%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Jackson, MI

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