The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Detroit, MI (2026)
The average salary in the Detroit metro area is $69,210 a year and the median is $52,080: 2% above the US median and 6% above Michigan's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $51,930, 157th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $69,210US $69,770
- Median salary
- $52,080US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $25.04BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 100.3US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Detroit earn
| Percentile | Detroit area | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,990 | $30,290 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $37,880 | $37,070 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $52,080 | $49,270 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $81,700 | $77,910 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $127,470 | $110,650 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $69,210 | $64,920 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Detroit
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Detroit area at 100.3 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $100,300 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items100.3
- Housing (rents)94.7
- Goods98.8
- Utilities107
- Other services102.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 100.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 94.7 |
| Goods | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 107 |
| Other services | 102.6 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Detroit
Mean annual wage in the Detroit area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Detroit area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $95,470 | $101,420 | -6% |
| Software Developer | $128,190 | $148,100 | -13% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $72,730 | $72,650 | 0% |
| Accountant | $91,310 | $94,750 | -4% |
| Electrician | $79,250 | $71,490 | +11% |
| Truck Driver | $58,070 | $59,710 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representative | $46,360 | $46,590 | 0% |
| Retail Salesperson | $39,040 | $37,310 | +5% |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,970 | $42,700 | -2% |
| General and Operations Manager | $133,060 | $134,940 | -1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $51,830 | $53,780 | -4% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $38,650 | $38,730 | 0% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Detroit
BLS publishes estimates for 645 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Pediatrician, General$210,140
- 2Family Medicine Physician$209,000
- 3Dentist$187,120
- 4Physicist$186,160
- 5General Internal Medicine Physician$184,430
- 6Compensation and Benefits Manager$174,430
- 7IT Manager$173,850
- 8Architectural and Engineering Manager$173,100
- 9Financial Manager$168,730
- 10Purchasing Manager$164,720
Jobs Detroit pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agent and Travel Clerk$62,590 · +26%
- 2Team Assembler$56,600 · +21%
- 3Parts Salesperson$51,460 · +17%
- 4Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$56,620 · +17%
- 5Manicurist and Pedicurist$45,070 · +17%
- 6Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$57,260 · +14%
- 7Roofer$66,100 · +14%
- 8Plumber$81,700 · +13%
- 9Server$45,070 · +13%
- 10Eligibility Interviewer, Government Programs$62,900 · +12%
Compare
Other metro areas in Michigan
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Detroit: FAQ
What is the average salary in Detroit?
Across all occupations in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $69,210 and the median is $52,080, 2% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,904,530 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Detroit?
Above $52,080 out-earns half of workers in the Detroit area; the top 25% start at $81,700 and the top 10% at $127,470. Prices run the same as the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $100,300 here.
Is Detroit expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Detroit metro is 100.3 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 94.7, goods 98.8, utilities 107.0. At local prices the median wage is worth $51,930, 157th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Detroit?
By mean annual wage: Pediatrician, General ($210,140), Family Medicine Physician ($209,000), Dentist ($187,120), Physicist ($186,160), General Internal Medicine Physician ($184,430) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).