Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

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

Cost of living: prices in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI run 5.2% below the national average (2024), so a Kalamazoo-Portage, MI salary is worth about 1.05× 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

OccupationMedian, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI · vs. national

1Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$90,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,200 – $111,670+42.2%
2Chief Executives$285,300
Bachelor's degree
$103,010 – $464,630+33.3%
3Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$63,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,910 – $63,970+31.8%
4Sheet Metal Workers$80,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,370 – $102,990+30.9%
5Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,980 – $86,030+30.3%
6Information and Record Clerks, All Other$64,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,970 – $81,670+30.3%
7Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$57,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,790 – $71,800+26.3%
8Psychiatric Aides$55,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,470 – $57,410+22.7%
9Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$128,560
Bachelor's degree
$64,350 – $198,700+22.5%
10Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$60,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $69,180+17.3%
11Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$59,500
Bachelor's degree
$41,160 – $76,310+16.9%
12Chemists$105,220
Bachelor's degree
$64,210 – $140,770+15.3%
13Physicians, All Other$305,510
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,080 – $468,520+14.9%
14Driver/Sales Workers$44,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,960 – $56,400+14.0%
15Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$75,190
Bachelor's degree
$62,510 – $83,180+13.5%
16Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$62,480
Associate's degree
$45,880 – $79,020+13.4%
17Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$74,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,750 – $98,930+13.2%
18Real Estate Sales Agents$59,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,380 – $120,270+13.2%
19Parts Salespersons$43,630
No formal educational credential
$34,270 – $66,650+12.9%
20Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,350 – $59,870+12.9%
21Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$66,750
Master's degree
$38,260 – $88,300+12.5%
22Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$59,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,100 – $59,910+12.3%
23Social and Community Service Managers$90,220
Bachelor's degree
$54,140 – $118,120+12.2%
24Library Assistants, Clerical$41,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,080 – $51,560+11.8%
25Pediatricians, General$232,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,670 – $301,620+10.9%
26Healthcare Social Workers$74,940
Master's degree
$50,100 – $101,310+10.4%
27Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,350
No formal educational credential
$34,230 – $49,480+10.2%
28Mechanical Door Repairers$61,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,280 – $80,220+9.8%
29Dentists, General$187,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,960 – $337,990+9.8%
30Bartenders$37,660
No formal educational credential
$27,070 – $75,710+9.7%
31Construction Laborers$51,380
No formal educational credential
$37,360 – $66,900+9.0%
32Chemical Technicians$65,250
Associate's degree
$50,360 – $85,520+8.0%
33Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$69,460
Bachelor's degree
$44,610 – $80,830+7.9%
34Waiters and Waitresses$37,760
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $63,680+7.2%
35Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$50,720
Associate's degree
$38,580 – $58,220+7.0%
36Roofers$59,280
No formal educational credential
$46,220 – $77,170+6.9%
37Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,330
Bachelor's degree
$47,980 – $100,280+6.8%
38Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$42,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,420 – $51,160+6.6%
39Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$50,850
Some college, no degree
$36,500 – $63,540+6.4%
40Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$52,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,820 – $77,100+5.7%
41Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,630
No formal educational credential
$31,000 – $45,740+5.5%
42Helpers--Production Workers$41,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,410 – $50,050+5.2%
43Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$61,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $76,710+5.2%
44Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$36,470
No formal educational credential
$28,710 – $42,900+4.5%
45First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$51,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,900 – $77,450+4.5%
46Automotive Body and Related Repairers$57,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $101,120+4.3%
47Butchers and Meat Cutters$41,740
No formal educational credential
$30,270 – $63,590+4.0%
48Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$65,200
Bachelor's degree
$32,720 – $81,740+4.0%
49Electricians$65,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,540 – $100,900+4.0%
50Residential Advisors$43,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,650 – $64,900+3.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianKalamazoo-Portage, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,730	$48,200 – $111,670	+42.2%
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$285,300	$103,010 – $464,630	+33.3%
3	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,970	$37,910 – $63,970	+31.8%
4	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,870	$49,370 – $102,990	+30.9%
5	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$52,980 – $86,030	+30.3%
6	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,500	$38,970 – $81,670	+30.3%
7	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,680	$33,790 – $71,800	+26.3%
8	Psychiatric AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,100	$45,470 – $57,410	+22.7%
9	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$128,560	$64,350 – $198,700	+22.5%
10	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,200	$38,650 – $69,180	+17.3%
11	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$59,500	$41,160 – $76,310	+16.9%
12	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$105,220	$64,210 – $140,770	+15.3%
13	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$305,510	$65,080 – $468,520	+14.9%
14	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,210	$25,960 – $56,400	+14.0%
15	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,190	$62,510 – $83,180	+13.5%
16	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$62,480	$45,880 – $79,020	+13.4%
17	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,460	$42,750 – $98,930	+13.2%
18	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,800	$31,380 – $120,270	+13.2%
19	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,630	$34,270 – $66,650	+12.9%
20	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,800	$37,350 – $59,870	+12.9%
21	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$66,750	$38,260 – $88,300	+12.5%
22	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,910	$40,100 – $59,910	+12.3%
23	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$90,220	$54,140 – $118,120	+12.2%
24	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,260	$27,080 – $51,560	+11.8%
25	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$232,880	$108,670 – $301,620	+10.9%
26	Healthcare Social WorkersMaster's degree	$74,940	$50,100 – $101,310	+10.4%
27	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,350	$34,230 – $49,480	+10.2%
28	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,190	$47,280 – $80,220	+9.8%
29	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$187,770	$124,960 – $337,990	+9.8%
30	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$37,660	$27,070 – $75,710	+9.7%
31	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$51,380	$37,360 – $66,900	+9.0%
32	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,250	$50,360 – $85,520	+8.0%
33	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$69,460	$44,610 – $80,830	+7.9%
34	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$37,760	$25,960 – $63,680	+7.2%
35	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$50,720	$38,580 – $58,220	+7.0%
36	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$59,280	$46,220 – $77,170	+6.9%
37	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,330	$47,980 – $100,280	+6.8%
38	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,230	$30,420 – $51,160	+6.6%
39	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$50,850	$36,500 – $63,540	+6.4%
40	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,040	$36,820 – $77,100	+5.7%
41	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,630	$31,000 – $45,740	+5.5%
42	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,090	$30,410 – $50,050	+5.2%
43	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,270	$46,060 – $76,710	+5.2%
44	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$36,470	$28,710 – $42,900	+4.5%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,290	$37,900 – $77,450	+4.5%
46	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,250	$36,600 – $101,120	+4.3%
47	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$41,740	$30,270 – $63,590	+4.0%
48	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,200	$32,720 – $81,740	+4.0%
49	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,690	$39,540 – $100,900	+4.0%
50	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,890	$30,650 – $64,900	+3.9%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

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