Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in Detroit Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area
Figures describe the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not Detroit city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (8 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 671 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surgeons, All Other | $561,070 | $269.75 | 160 |
| 2 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $447,750 | $215.27 | 520 |
| 3 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $428,570 | Not published | Not published |
| 4 | Psychiatrists | $339,340 | $163.15 | 160 |
| 5 | Chief Executives | $304,110 | $146.21 | 2,070 |
| 6 | Dermatologists | $269,110 | $129.38 | Not published |
| 7 | Nurse Anesthetists | $243,130 | $116.89 | 1,170 |
| 8 | Orthodontists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 9 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 90 |
| 10 | Pediatricians, General | $218,000 | $104.81 | 730 |
| 11 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $209,550 | $100.75 | 550 |
| 12 | Physicists | $199,170 | $95.76 | 140 |
| 13 | Family Medicine Physicians | $181,990 | $87.50 | 1,940 |
| 14 | Air Traffic Controllers | $178,310 | $85.73 | 180 |
| 15 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $170,040 | $81.75 | 7,980 |
| 16 | Podiatrists | $168,940 | $81.22 | 220 |
| 17 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $168,550 | $81.03 | 9,260 |
| 18 | Dentists, General | $167,860 | $80.70 | 1,700 |
| 19 | Purchasing Managers | $163,660 | $78.68 | 1,490 |
| 20 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $162,490 | $78.12 | 330 |
| 21 | Financial Managers | $160,240 | $77.04 | 11,670 |
| 22 | Sales Managers | $155,560 | $74.79 | 8,760 |
| 23 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $149,990 | $72.11 | 1,230 |
| 24 | Human Resources Managers | $149,980 | $72.11 | 3,090 |
| 25 | Marketing Managers | $149,310 | $71.79 | 3,370 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Detroit metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.