Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI

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

Cost of living: prices in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI run 7.5% below the national average (2024), so a Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI

OccupationMedian, Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI · vs. national

1Personal Financial Advisors$159,990
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $160,980+52.3%
2Sheet Metal Workers$80,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,590 – $90,750+30.9%
3Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$59,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,230 – $59,750+28.4%
4Waiters and Waitresses$44,920
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $62,080+27.5%
5Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,010 – $60,190+23.5%
6Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,280 – $59,430+23.2%
7Electricians$77,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,400 – $96,820+22.0%
8Special Education Teachers, Preschool$78,860
Bachelor's degree
$47,040 – $96,180+21.6%
9Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$58,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $60,320+21.2%
10Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,930 – $91,730+19.6%
11Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,120
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $96,920+19.4%
12Social and Community Service Managers$95,670
Bachelor's degree
$48,270 – $107,240+19.0%
13Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$46,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,580 – $59,800+18.1%
14Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$57,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,420 – $79,460+16.9%
15Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,090
Master's degree
$46,750 – $85,350+16.4%
16File Clerks$50,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,340 – $60,920+16.4%
17Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$56,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,480 – $59,760+14.2%
18Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$71,790
Bachelor's degree
$45,370 – $93,820+11.5%
19Maintenance Workers, Machinery$67,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,420 – $74,800+10.3%
20Tutors$47,450
Some college, no degree
$30,210 – $59,720+9.5%
21Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$55,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,590 – $60,890+9.3%
22Bartenders$36,960
No formal educational credential
$25,960 – $75,050+7.6%
23Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$112,520
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $164,440+7.2%
24Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$46,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $51,440+6.7%
25Instructional Coordinators$82,310
Master's degree
$63,400 – $101,070+6.3%
26First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$84,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,230 – $123,700+6.3%
27Special Education Teachers, Middle School$70,780
Bachelor's degree
$45,260 – $84,460+5.9%
28Data Entry Keyers$43,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,280 – $61,050+5.1%
29Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$35,150
No formal educational credential
$34,330 – $60,740+4.7%
30Compliance Officers$84,430
Bachelor's degree
$48,690 – $98,280+4.6%
31Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$53,130
Bachelor's degree
$27,920 – $81,490+4.4%
32Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$81,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,420 – $115,210+4.3%
33Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$43,140
Bachelor's degree
$29,350 – $61,190+3.5%
34First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,380 – $98,720+3.3%
35Coaches and Scouts$48,830
Bachelor's degree
$27,810 – $97,100+3.2%
36Nurse Anesthetists$243,270
Master's degree
$214,240 – $287,500+2.8%
37Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$36,250
No formal educational credential
$28,370 – $36,250+2.5%
38Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,840 – $56,040+2.2%
39Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,390 – $77,410+2.1%
40Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$65,760
Associate's degree
$47,250 – $83,720+1.2%
41Chemists$92,320
Bachelor's degree
$57,330 – $130,290+1.2%
42First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,010 – $96,140+0.5%
43Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,840
No formal educational credential
$30,000 – $43,600+0.5%
44Pharmacists$141,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,830 – $157,790+0.4%
45Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,060 – $80,250+0.3%
46Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$58,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $61,840+0.3%
47Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$59,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,320 – $79,110+0.1%
48Helpers--Production Workers$39,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,280 – $53,1400.0%
49Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,450
Associate's degree
$44,610 – $78,780-0.1%
50Construction Laborers$47,010
No formal educational credential
$36,880 – $63,520-0.2%

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

#	Occupation	MedianMuskegon-Norton Shores, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$159,990	$48,190 – $160,980	+52.3%
2	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,900	$39,590 – $90,750	+30.9%
3	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,750	$33,230 – $59,750	+28.4%
4	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$44,920	$25,960 – $62,080	+27.5%
5	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,190	$38,010 – $60,190	+23.5%
6	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,430	$40,280 – $59,430	+23.2%
7	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,100	$43,400 – $96,820	+22.0%
8	Special Education Teachers, PreschoolBachelor's degree	$78,860	$47,040 – $96,180	+21.6%
9	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,850	$37,020 – $60,320	+21.2%
10	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,290	$43,930 – $91,730	+19.6%
11	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,120	$47,200 – $96,920	+19.4%
12	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,670	$48,270 – $107,240	+19.0%
13	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,820	$29,580 – $59,800	+18.1%
14	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,550	$33,420 – $79,460	+16.9%
15	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$69,090	$46,750 – $85,350	+16.4%
16	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,740	$31,340 – $60,920	+16.4%
17	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,980	$44,480 – $59,760	+14.2%
18	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$71,790	$45,370 – $93,820	+11.5%
19	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,130	$44,420 – $74,800	+10.3%
20	TutorsSome college, no degree	$47,450	$30,210 – $59,720	+9.5%
21	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,390	$40,590 – $60,890	+9.3%
22	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$36,960	$25,960 – $75,050	+7.6%
23	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$112,520	$62,280 – $164,440	+7.2%
24	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,300	$36,660 – $51,440	+6.7%
25	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$82,310	$63,400 – $101,070	+6.3%
26	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,970	$60,230 – $123,700	+6.3%
27	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$70,780	$45,260 – $84,460	+5.9%
28	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,450	$32,280 – $61,050	+5.1%
29	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$35,150	$34,330 – $60,740	+4.7%
30	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$84,430	$48,690 – $98,280	+4.6%
31	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$53,130	$27,920 – $81,490	+4.4%
32	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,330	$52,420 – $115,210	+4.3%
33	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$43,140	$29,350 – $61,190	+3.5%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$45,380 – $98,720	+3.3%
35	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$48,830	$27,810 – $97,100	+3.2%
36	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$243,270	$214,240 – $287,500	+2.8%
37	Food Servers, NonrestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,250	$28,370 – $36,250	+2.5%
38	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,330	$36,840 – $56,040	+2.2%
39	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,300	$35,390 – $77,410	+2.1%
40	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,760	$47,250 – $83,720	+1.2%
41	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$92,320	$57,330 – $130,290	+1.2%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,850	$48,010 – $96,140	+0.5%
43	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$35,840	$30,000 – $43,600	+0.5%
44	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,460	$101,830 – $157,790	+0.4%
45	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,430	$51,060 – $80,250	+0.3%
46	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,220	$36,900 – $61,840	+0.3%
47	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,730	$42,320 – $79,110	+0.1%
48	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,070	$33,280 – $53,140	0.0%
49	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,450	$44,610 – $78,780	-0.1%
50	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$47,010	$36,880 – $63,520	-0.2%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI

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