Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Detroit, MI Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Detroit, MI, Michigan is $107,888 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 64 occupations and roughly 404,910 workers. Adjusted for Detroit, MI's cost-of-living index of 95.1, that nominal average translates to $113,447 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Pediatrician at $218,000; the lowest is Welder at $51,810.
Detroit, MI, MI sits near the national cost-of-living baseline (index 95.1). 64 occupations are reported here with median wages averaging $107,888.
Highest-paying role in Detroit, MI on BLS data is Pediatrician at $218,000 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Cities at the national cost-of-living baseline are useful reference points for cross-region comparisons — the gross wage and adjusted wage are roughly equivalent, so headline comparisons work.
Salaries by Occupation in Detroit, MI
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $218,000 | $105,180 – $307,250 | 730 |
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $209,550 | $140,230 – $595,210 | 550 |
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $181,990 | $65,310 – $382,240 | 1,940 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $170,040 | $103,890 – $234,520 | 7,980 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $167,860 | $121,920 – $283,380 | 1,700 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $160,240 | $91,520 – $285,500 | 11,670 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $155,560 | $79,250 – $251,160 | 8,760 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $149,980 | $97,340 – $232,790 | 3,090 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $149,310 | $86,600 – $236,670 | 3,370 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $142,690 | $117,240 – $213,850 | 610 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $137,770 | $63,630 – $170,230 | 4,280 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $136,720 | $106,330 – $180,770 | 150 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $134,980 | $78,730 – $246,420 | 10,110 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $134,390 | $106,110 – $164,390 | 3,400 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $131,830 | $103,800 – $157,870 | 2,400 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $130,760 | $82,720 – $167,490 | 24,870 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $129,730 | $74,450 – $202,500 | 710 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $128,830 | $76,630 – $171,800 | 1,570 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $127,450 | $46,530 – $178,940 | 500 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $126,250 | $77,730 – $166,730 | 5,800 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $114,390 | $80,610 – $160,110 | 6,060 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $114,340 | $67,590 – $206,630 | 7,110 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $110,160 | $63,450 – $153,710 | 510 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $109,470 | $79,880 – $161,030 | 22,500 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $108,990 | $67,350 – $167,580 | 1,520 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $108,550 | $52,140 – $167,360 | 870 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $107,560 | $52,680 – $164,210 | 3,830 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $104,110 | $78,860 – $150,430 | 17,350 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $104,010 | $51,910 – $259,390 | 37,250 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $103,670 | $67,040 – $163,210 | 7,150 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $103,330 | $62,400 – $168,510 | 3,810 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $102,970 | $80,690 – $131,140 | 3,770 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $102,390 | $64,880 – $137,600 | 2,140 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $101,550 | $64,470 – $160,350 | 3,930 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $100,570 | $63,970 – $164,330 | 5,680 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $99,580 | $82,100 – $123,440 | 90 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $99,450 | $45,760 – $160,770 | 790 |
| Architect | Engineering | $97,920 | $62,440 – $147,730 | 1,350 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $97,280 | $78,140 – $110,650 | 44,310 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $96,400 | $64,880 – $140,110 | 3,010 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $92,550 | $64,000 – $129,700 | 3,870 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $89,640 | $64,060 – $113,100 | 1,850 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $89,600 | $66,580 – $107,140 | 2,030 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $87,860 | $59,400 – $136,640 | 1,380 |
| Plumber | Trades | $86,370 | $48,250 – $107,780 | 5,520 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $84,480 | $78,620 – $97,230 | 3,780 |
| Electrician | Trades | $81,990 | $46,660 – $107,330 | 11,210 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $81,590 | $65,180 – $150,530 | 530 |
| Accountant | Finance | $80,650 | $58,080 – $133,870 | 19,390 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $77,520 | $48,920 – $101,310 | 9,080 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $77,100 | $43,540 – $130,410 | 11,710 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $76,830 | $45,530 – $310,010 | 3,430 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $76,260 | $36,520 – $135,700 | 7,200 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $75,930 | $49,840 – $155,270 | 340 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $75,760 | $48,870 – $121,330 | 510 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $72,600 | $43,150 – $110,770 | 1,000 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $66,100 | $39,470 – $126,550 | 2,930 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $65,810 | $47,560 – $82,790 | 7,610 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $65,210 | $48,750 – $99,460 | 18,390 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $63,400 | $49,500 – $97,710 | 4,550 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $60,210 | $44,610 – $91,390 | 2,710 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $58,910 | $37,740 – $95,110 | 4,570 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $56,000 | $37,080 – $81,240 | 9,520 |
| Welder | Trades | $51,810 | $39,000 – $75,760 | 4,580 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Detroit, MI is Pediatrician, with a median of $218,000 and a 90th-percentile reading of $307,250. That $202,070 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Detroit, MI, the average median salary is $107,888. The top five roles average $189,488 — about 1.8× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Detroit, MI sits close to the U.S. average on cost of living (index 95.1). Headline salary numbers translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power — useful as a national benchmark city when comparing offers across markets.
Salary Negotiation in Detroit, MI
For salary negotiation in Detroit, MI, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 95.1 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Detroit, MI Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Detroit, MI, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (95.1) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Detroit, MI in 2026?
The average salary in Detroit, MI is $107,888 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 64 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $107,888. The top-paying role is Pediatrician at $218,000.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Detroit, MI?
In Detroit, MI, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $105,152 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 95.1). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in Detroit, MI than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $107,888, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Detroit, MI?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Detroit, MI are Pediatrician ($218,000), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($209,550), Family Medicine Physician ($181,990), and Computer and Information Systems Manager ($170,040). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $142,690 to $218,000. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/detroit.
How does Detroit, MI's cost of living affect salaries?
Detroit, MI has a cost-of-living index of 95.1, 5% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $107,888 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $113,447 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Detroit, MI?
Across the 64 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Detroit, MI metro is approximately 404,910. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Detroit, MI salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Detroit, MI MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 64 occupations · COL Index 95.1.