Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Traverse City, MI

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

Cost of living: prices in Traverse City, MI run 6.6% below the national average (2024), so a Traverse City, MI salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Traverse City, MI

OccupationMedian, Traverse City, MI · vs. national

1Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,540 – $86,030+30.3%
2Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$80,090
Bachelor's degree
$46,090 – $80,090+27.8%
3Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$52,450
Bachelor's degree
$31,570 – $55,610+25.9%
4Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$54,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $61,640+25.0%
5Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$53,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $55,030+23.0%
6Demonstrators and Product Promoters$47,960
No formal educational credential
$28,390 – $63,570+22.0%
7Parts Salespersons$47,060
No formal educational credential
$31,490 – $67,040+21.8%
8Community Health Workers$62,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,770 – $87,010+19.9%
9Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,580
Bachelor's degree
$46,420 – $82,400+19.0%
10Highway Maintenance Workers$59,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,470 – $61,810+17.8%
11Waiters and Waitresses$41,380
No formal educational credential
$26,820 – $64,020+17.5%
12Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$39,270
No formal educational credential
$26,950 – $44,390+16.9%
13Chief Executives$248,510
Bachelor's degree
$93,040 – $431,160+16.1%
14Medical Transcriptionists$46,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$26,550 – $57,120+14.8%
15Real Estate Sales Agents$60,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,550 – $169,090+14.5%
16Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$108,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$83,710 – $127,660+14.3%
17Driver/Sales Workers$43,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,570 – $58,370+12.0%
18Tire Repairers and Changers$42,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,890 – $48,190+11.7%
19Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$41,080
No formal educational credential
$32,610 – $45,280+10.2%
20Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$51,720
No formal educational credential
$39,210 – $68,230+10.1%
21Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$72,690
Bachelor's degree
$48,540 – $83,180+9.7%
22Bartenders$37,300
No formal educational credential
$26,190 – $76,740+8.6%
23Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$68,060
Bachelor's degree
$41,380 – $81,850+8.2%
24Helpers--Production Workers$42,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,830 – $52,680+8.1%
25Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$54,950
Bachelor's degree
$35,360 – $79,900+8.0%
26Food Batchmakers$45,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $65,020+7.9%
27Instructional Coordinators$83,400
Master's degree
$50,390 – $116,640+7.7%
28Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$70,850
Bachelor's degree
$49,180 – $98,060+6.9%
29Sheet Metal Workers$65,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,320 – $85,200+6.7%
30Physicians, All Other$280,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,150 – $391,630+5.5%
31Security Guards$40,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,750 – $47,530+5.4%
32Painters, Construction and Maintenance$52,000
No formal educational credential
$38,830 – $64,320+5.3%
33Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,650
No formal educational credential
$26,920 – $45,170+4.9%
34Public Safety Telecommunicators$55,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,860 – $63,110+4.7%
35Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$77,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,910 – $96,250+4.4%
36Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$61,990
Master's degree
$46,340 – $91,760+4.4%
37Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$38,420
No formal educational credential
$29,240 – $47,630+4.3%
38Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$38,780
No formal educational credential
$35,100 – $47,560+3.6%
39Recreation Workers$37,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,720 – $51,650+3.6%
40Sewing Machine Operators$37,900
No formal educational credential
$36,340 – $49,070+3.4%
41Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$58,940
No formal educational credential
$31,530 – $64,560+3.4%
42Production Workers, All Other$41,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,170 – $50,440+3.3%
43Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$52,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,040 – $76,270+3.2%
44Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$66,020
Bachelor's degree
$47,490 – $81,170+3.2%
45Correctional Officers and Jailers$60,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,920 – $62,760+3.1%
46Dietetic Technicians$38,790
Associate's degree
$30,800 – $43,060+3.1%
47Residential Advisors$43,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,290 – $58,500+2.8%
48Construction Laborers$48,400
No formal educational credential
$37,020 – $62,370+2.7%
49Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$61,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,920 – $87,600+2.6%
50Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$63,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,790 – $77,600+2.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianTraverse City, MI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$47,540 – $86,030	+30.3%
2	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$80,090	$46,090 – $80,090	+27.8%
3	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$52,450	$31,570 – $55,610	+25.9%
4	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,020	$36,960 – $61,640	+25.0%
5	Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,550	$35,870 – $55,030	+23.0%
6	Demonstrators and Product PromotersNo formal educational credential	$47,960	$28,390 – $63,570	+22.0%
7	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,060	$31,490 – $67,040	+21.8%
8	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,160	$45,770 – $87,010	+19.9%
9	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,580	$46,420 – $82,400	+19.0%
10	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,220	$38,470 – $61,810	+17.8%
11	Waiters and WaitressesNo formal educational credential	$41,380	$26,820 – $64,020	+17.5%
12	Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersNo formal educational credential	$39,270	$26,950 – $44,390	+16.9%
13	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$248,510	$93,040 – $431,160	+16.1%
14	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,400	$26,550 – $57,120	+14.8%
15	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,470	$31,550 – $169,090	+14.5%
16	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,970	$83,710 – $127,660	+14.3%
17	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,430	$26,570 – $58,370	+12.0%
18	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,120	$35,890 – $48,190	+11.7%
19	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$41,080	$32,610 – $45,280	+10.2%
20	Roustabouts, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$51,720	$39,210 – $68,230	+10.1%
21	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,690	$48,540 – $83,180	+9.7%
22	BartendersNo formal educational credential	$37,300	$26,190 – $76,740	+8.6%
23	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$68,060	$41,380 – $81,850	+8.2%
24	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,220	$33,830 – $52,680	+8.1%
25	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$54,950	$35,360 – $79,900	+8.0%
26	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,610	$33,330 – $65,020	+7.9%
27	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$83,400	$50,390 – $116,640	+7.7%
28	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$70,850	$49,180 – $98,060	+6.9%
29	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,940	$42,320 – $85,200	+6.7%
30	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$280,490	$64,150 – $391,630	+5.5%
31	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,060	$31,750 – $47,530	+5.4%
32	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$52,000	$38,830 – $64,320	+5.3%
33	Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNo formal educational credential	$35,650	$26,920 – $45,170	+4.9%
34	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,550	$40,860 – $63,110	+4.7%
35	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,570	$58,910 – $96,250	+4.4%
36	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$61,990	$46,340 – $91,760	+4.4%
37	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$38,420	$29,240 – $47,630	+4.3%
38	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$38,780	$35,100 – $47,560	+3.6%
39	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,860	$26,720 – $51,650	+3.6%
40	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$37,900	$36,340 – $49,070	+3.4%
41	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$58,940	$31,530 – $64,560	+3.4%
42	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,420	$34,170 – $50,440	+3.3%
43	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,220	$37,040 – $76,270	+3.2%
44	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$66,020	$47,490 – $81,170	+3.2%
45	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,760	$48,920 – $62,760	+3.1%
46	Dietetic TechniciansAssociate's degree	$38,790	$30,800 – $43,060	+3.1%
47	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,410	$38,290 – $58,500	+2.8%
48	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$48,400	$37,020 – $62,370	+2.7%
49	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,190	$44,920 – $87,600	+2.6%
50	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,240	$45,790 – $77,600	+2.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Traverse City, MI

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