Detroit, MI Salary Guide (2024)
The median annual wage across all occupations in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $50,740, spread over roughly 1,909,060 jobs. This guide breaks that down across 80 detailed occupations with released wage data, from miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators down to the smallest job categories BLS can publish.
Salary by occupation in Detroit, MI
Ranked by median annual wage. Every row links to a full page with the local pay distribution, the percentile breakdown, and how the metro compares with the rest of the country.
| Occupation | Hourly | Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $23.00 | $47,840 | 62,530 |
| Retail Salespersons | $16.68 | $34,700 | 48,560 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $14.18 | $29,490 | 47,450 |
| Registered Nurses | $42.78 | $88,980 | 44,280 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $17.97 | $37,380 | 40,950 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $15.52 | $32,290 | 38,410 |
| General and Operations Managers | $50.50 | $105,030 | 37,250 |
| Cashiers | $14.30 | $29,750 | 36,350 |
| Office Clerks, General | $21.94 | $45,640 | 36,070 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $21.71 | $45,160 | 32,180 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $19.13 | $39,790 | 30,660 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $17.37 | $36,120 | 29,410 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $17.09 | $35,540 | 26,450 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $26.84 | $55,830 | 26,140 |
| Software Developers | $59.99 | $124,780 | 21,670 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $38.62 | $80,320 | 20,750 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $50.20 | $104,420 | 19,740 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $37.78 | $78,580 | 18,610 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $30.64 | $63,740 | 18,370 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $22.35 | $46,480 | 17,930 |
| Industrial Engineers | $48.53 | $100,940 | 17,080 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $24.03 | $49,980 | 16,440 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $23.22 | $48,290 | 16,240 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $17.99 | $37,420 | 16,050 |
| Nursing Assistants | $18.79 | $39,080 | 16,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $18.48 | $38,440 | 13,650 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $32.06 | $66,690 | 13,600 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $15.01 | $31,220 | 13,440 |
| Light Truck Drivers | $19.97 | $41,530 | 13,430 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $37.37 | $77,730 | 13,300 |
| Security Guards | $18.36 | $38,190 | 12,900 |
| Project Management Specialists | $50.46 | $104,960 | 12,710 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $18.43 | $38,330 | 12,670 |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $21.99 | $45,730 | 12,450 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $22.99 | $47,810 | 12,390 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $35.26 | $73,350 | 12,360 |
| Electricians | $38.62 | $80,330 | 11,840 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $21.35 | $44,410 | 11,620 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $22.41 | $46,620 | 11,600 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $26.67 | $55,470 | 11,320 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $19.31 | $40,170 | 11,280 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $18.03 | $37,500 | 11,150 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $36.43 | $75,780 | 10,970 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $35.20 | $73,210 | 10,800 |
| Medical Assistants | $18.45 | $38,370 | 10,600 |
| Construction Laborers | $24.57 | $51,100 | 10,270 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $38.83 | $80,770 | 10,250 |
| Financial Managers | $68.16 | $141,770 | 10,050 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $36.46 | $75,830 | 9,810 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $28.62 | $59,520 | 9,800 |
Median pay across these occupations runs from $29,490 to $141,770 — a 4.8× spread between the lowest- and highest-paid detailed occupations in the metro. The all-occupation median of $50,740 sits nearer the bottom of that range, because the largest job categories in most metros are also among the lower-paid ones.
Frequently asked questions about Detroit, MI pay
What is the median salary in Detroit, MI?
Across all occupations, the median annual wage in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $50,740. Total employment covered by the survey is about 1,909,060 jobs.
Which jobs pay the most in Detroit, MI?
The highest median wage in the metro belongs to miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators at $47,840, followed by retail salespersons ($34,700) and fast food and counter workers ($29,490).
How many occupations are covered for Detroit, MI?
This guide covers 80 detailed occupations with released wage data for the metro area, out of the 800+ detailed occupations the OEWS survey tracks nationally. Occupations with too few workers locally to publish a reliable estimate are excluded by BLS.
Is this enough to live on in Detroit, MI?
These are nominal wages — they are not adjusted for local housing, tax, or transport costs. A median that looks high in Detroit, MI may buy less than a lower median in a cheaper metro. Use the all-occupation median of $50,740 as the local baseline and compare any specific job against that, not against the national number.
About these figures
Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024. OEWS surveys employers, so it excludes self-employed workers and independent contractors, and it reports wages rather than total compensation. Occupations with too few workers locally to produce a reliable estimate are suppressed by BLS and therefore absent from this page.
Full detail in the methodology. Original data: bls.gov/oes.