Michigan Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Michigan.
The average salary in Michigan is $107,888 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Detroit). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Pediatrician at $218,000 median; 35 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 95, the average median equates to $113,566 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Michigan has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Michigan job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Michigan
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 730 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($218,000)
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 550 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($209,550)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 1,940 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($181,990)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 7,980 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($170,040)
Dentist
Healthcare · 1,700 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($167,860)
Financial Manager
Finance · 11,670 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($160,240)
Sales Manager
Management · 8,760 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($155,560)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 3,090 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($149,980)
Marketing Manager
Management · 3,370 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($149,310)
Optometrist
Healthcare · 610 jobs in state · top metro: Detroit ($142,690)
Cities in Michigan
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Michigan is $107,888 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Pediatrician at $218,000 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Michigan, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Pediatrician ($218,000), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($209,550), Family Medicine Physician ($181,990), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($170,040), Dentist ($167,860). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/michigan.
35 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Michigan have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Detroit, MI leads Michigan with an average median salary of $107,888 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Michigan's tracked metros is 95 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $107,888 translates to $113,566 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Michigan, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
64 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.