Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Niles, MI

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

Cost of living: prices in Niles, MI run 7.6% below the national average (2024), so a Niles, 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 Niles, MI

OccupationMedian, Niles, MI · vs. national

1Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$103,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,570 – $117,570+39.3%
2Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$61,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,440 – $61,410+34.5%
3Chemical Technicians$77,840
Associate's degree
$39,220 – $121,840+28.9%
4Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$113,680
Bachelor's degree
$71,180 – $126,880+26.1%
5Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$66,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,530 – $70,660+23.3%
6Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$73,200
Master's degree
$44,850 – $101,210+23.3%
7Massage Therapists$69,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,720 – $104,000+19.0%
8Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$77,630
Bachelor's degree
$53,810 – $95,990+17.1%
9Mechanical Drafters$82,960
Associate's degree
$44,560 – $102,300+15.9%
10Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$74,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,920 – $83,600+15.7%
11Highway Maintenance Workers$57,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,460 – $61,280+13.6%
12Bartenders$38,970
No formal educational credential
$26,790 – $74,710+13.5%
13First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$97,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,930 – $162,980+11.2%
14Parts Salespersons$42,910
No formal educational credential
$29,270 – $63,560+11.1%
15Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$43,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,340 – $50,190+9.3%
16Waiters and Waitresses$38,130
No formal educational credential
$27,040 – $62,330+8.2%
17Managers, All Other$150,350
Bachelor's degree
$77,690 – $206,670+6.0%
18Property Appraisers and Assessors$71,730
Bachelor's degree
$36,180 – $90,740+5.5%
19Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,210 – $65,140+5.1%
20Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$62,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $104,560+4.9%
21Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$99,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,240 – $123,430+4.8%
22Public Safety Telecommunicators$55,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,470 – $77,560+3.9%
23Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$36,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$25,960 – $107,760+3.3%
24Physical Therapists$106,020
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,350 – $109,230+3.2%
25Production Workers, All Other$41,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,900 – $50,960+3.1%
26Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$47,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,240 – $72,460+2.9%
27Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$65,850
Bachelor's degree
$47,400 – $91,360+2.3%
28Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,820
Associate's degree
$58,550 – $120,340+2.1%
29Mechanical Engineers$106,320
Bachelor's degree
$76,750 – $135,590+2.1%
30Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$36,300
No formal educational credential
$28,910 – $44,760+1.8%
31Electricians$64,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,220 – $107,660+1.4%
32Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,970
Bachelor's degree
$47,680 – $92,870+1.3%
33Rehabilitation Counselors$47,080
Master's degree
$33,850 – $56,800+0.5%
34Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,790
Bachelor's degree
$44,710 – $77,460+0.4%
35Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$48,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $63,480+0.3%
36Logisticians$82,330
Bachelor's degree
$56,660 – $133,5000.0%
37Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,580 – $67,260-0.1%
38Training and Development Specialists$69,110
Bachelor's degree
$40,460 – $135,400-0.2%
39First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$58,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,730 – $81,680-0.2%
40Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,460 – $103,840-0.3%
41Pharmacists$140,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,890 – $160,120-0.4%
42Human Resources Managers$148,360
Bachelor's degree
$84,890 – $266,070-0.6%
43Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$106,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,950 – $205,400-0.6%
44Procurement Clerks$50,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,060 – $65,550-0.6%
45Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,540
No formal educational credential
$28,110 – $40,050-1.0%
46Pharmacy Technicians$45,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,520 – $48,910-1.1%
47Construction Laborers$46,530
No formal educational credential
$34,880 – $62,290-1.3%
48Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $59,590-1.4%
49Bus Drivers, School$47,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,400 – $48,060-1.5%
50Chief Executives$210,620
Bachelor's degree
$105,310 – $704,540-1.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianNiles, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,580	$60,570 – $117,570	+39.3%
2	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,410	$38,440 – $61,410	+34.5%
3	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,840	$39,220 – $121,840	+28.9%
4	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$113,680	$71,180 – $126,880	+26.1%
5	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,830	$48,530 – $70,660	+23.3%
6	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$73,200	$44,850 – $101,210	+23.3%
7	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,580	$34,720 – $104,000	+19.0%
8	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,630	$53,810 – $95,990	+17.1%
9	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$82,960	$44,560 – $102,300	+15.9%
10	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,530	$60,920 – $83,600	+15.7%
11	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,120	$37,460 – $61,280	+13.6%
12	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$38,970	$26,790 – $74,710	+13.5%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,340	$48,930 – $162,980	+11.2%
14	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$42,910	$29,270 – $63,560	+11.1%
15	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,320	$29,340 – $50,190	+9.3%
16	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$38,130	$27,040 – $62,330	+8.2%
17	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$150,350	$77,690 – $206,670	+6.0%
18	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$71,730	$36,180 – $90,740	+5.5%
19	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,370	$39,210 – $65,140	+5.1%
20	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,560	$44,780 – $104,560	+4.9%
21	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,850	$65,240 – $123,430	+4.8%
22	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,130	$44,470 – $77,560	+3.9%
23	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$36,960	$25,960 – $107,760	+3.3%
24	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$106,020	$83,350 – $109,230	+3.2%
25	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,350	$34,900 – $50,960	+3.1%
26	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,190	$30,240 – $72,460	+2.9%
27	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$65,850	$47,400 – $91,360	+2.3%
28	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,820	$58,550 – $120,340	+2.1%
29	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,320	$76,750 – $135,590	+2.1%
30	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$36,300	$28,910 – $44,760	+1.8%
31	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,060	$40,220 – $107,660	+1.4%
32	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$65,970	$47,680 – $92,870	+1.3%
33	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$47,080	$33,850 – $56,800	+0.5%
34	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$59,790	$44,710 – $77,460	+0.4%
35	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,840	$38,000 – $63,480	+0.3%
36	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$82,330	$56,660 – $133,500	0.0%
37	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,940	$45,580 – $67,260	-0.1%
38	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$69,110	$40,460 – $135,400	-0.2%
39	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,310	$48,730 – $81,680	-0.2%
40	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,670	$44,460 – $103,840	-0.3%
41	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,290	$109,890 – $160,120	-0.4%
42	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,360	$84,890 – $266,070	-0.6%
43	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,630	$60,950 – $205,400	-0.6%
44	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,270	$36,060 – $65,550	-0.6%
45	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,540	$28,110 – $40,050	-1.0%
46	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,260	$35,520 – $48,910	-1.1%
47	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$46,530	$34,880 – $62,290	-1.3%
48	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,590	$38,650 – $59,590	-1.4%
49	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,210	$39,400 – $48,060	-1.5%
50	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$210,620	$105,310 – $704,540	-1.6%

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