StateRates

Traverse City salaries

The median worker in the Traverse City, MI metro area earned $46,530 a year in 2024, about $22.37 an hour. That ranks #202 of the 391 metro areas published here, 6% below the national median.

Michigan

Median pay $46,530 $22.37 per hour
Vs national -6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 67,200 wage and salary
Metro rank #202 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Traverse City pays 3.7% less than Michigan as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 2.2× 900 $38,260
Carpenters 1.77× 540 $59,330
Bartenders 1.68× 550 $44,520
Waiters and Waitresses 1.64× 1,650 $35,950
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 1.58× 570 $40,050
Cooks, Restaurant 1.55× 980 $36,650
Retail Salespersons 1.53× 2,530 $33,510
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1.51× 960 $45,920
Office Clerks, General 1.47× 1,610 $43,530
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.42× 530 $35,330
Registered Nurses 1.39× 1,990 $80,760
Construction Laborers 1.32× 610 $48,030

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Traverse City
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Lawyers $118,730 $57.08 200
Financial Managers $112,600 $54.14 280
Medical and Health Services Managers $105,280 $50.62 250
Sales Managers $104,210 $50.10 240
Physical Therapists $84,930 $40.83 210
General and Operations Managers $83,710 $40.24 1,550
Project Management Specialists $81,730 $39.29 220
Registered Nurses $80,760 $38.83 1,990
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $76,220 $36.64 290
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $72,580 $34.89 390
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $70,230 $33.77 300
Accountants and Auditors $69,330 $33.33 690
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $64,910 n/a 230
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $63,820 n/a 500
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $63,290 $30.43 210
Human Resources Specialists $62,700 $30.14 300
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $62,610 $30.10 500
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $62,160 n/a 370
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $62,020 $29.82 270
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $61,860 $29.74 570
Industrial Machinery Mechanics $61,390 $29.51 250
Insurance Sales Agents $60,830 $29.25 310
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors $60,510 $29.09 230
Electricians $60,140 $28.91 400
Training and Development Specialists $59,690 $28.70 200
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $59,670 $28.69 300
Carpenters $59,330 $28.52 540
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $59,320 $28.52 270
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $58,810 $28.27 260
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $57,840 $27.81 330
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $57,160 $27.48 400
Postal Service Mail Carriers $57,030 $27.42 200
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $56,660 $27.24 840
Computer User Support Specialists $54,330 $26.12 270
Firefighters $50,510 $24.28 220
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $49,230 $23.67 210
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $48,640 $23.39 340
Construction Laborers $48,030 $23.09 610
Machinists $47,910 $23.03 280
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $46,980 $22.59 700
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $46,550 $22.38 560
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $45,920 $22.08 960
Dental Assistants $45,620 $21.93 280
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $45,600 $21.92 210
Bartenders $44,520 $21.41 550
Billing and Posting Clerks $44,460 $21.38 420
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $43,560 $20.94 650
Office Clerks, General $43,530 $20.93 1,610
Light Truck Drivers $42,380 $20.37 400
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $42,240 $20.31 310
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $41,400 $19.91 280
Nursing Assistants $40,710 $19.57 610
Medical Assistants $40,500 $19.47 440
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $40,050 $19.26 570
Pharmacy Technicians $39,550 $19.01 250
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $39,510 $18.99 650
Counter and Rental Clerks $39,170 $18.83 220
Driver/Sales Workers $38,740 $18.62 210
Customer Service Representatives $38,630 $18.57 830
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $38,570 $18.54 520

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Traverse City by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 2,530 $33,510 $16.11
Registered Nurses 1,990 $80,760 $38.83
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,790 $28,600 $13.75
Cashiers 1,680 $30,020 $14.43
Waiters and Waitresses 1,650 $35,950 $17.28
Office Clerks, General 1,610 $43,530 $20.93
General and Operations Managers 1,550 $83,710 $40.24
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,300 $35,770 $17.20
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,030 $36,450 $17.52
Cooks, Restaurant 980 $36,650 $17.62
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 960 $45,920 $22.08
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 900 $38,260 $18.39
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 890 $36,660 $17.62
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 840 $56,660 $27.24
Customer Service Representatives 830 $38,630 $18.57
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 700 $46,980 $22.59
Accountants and Auditors 690 $69,330 $33.33
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 650 $39,510 $18.99
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 650 $43,560 $20.94
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 620 $35,820 n/a

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Michigan metro areas

Traverse City pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Traverse City?

The median across all occupations is $46,530, or $22.37 an hour, covering 67,200 wage and salary workers. The mean is $57,350, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Traverse City pay more than the rest of Michigan?

No. The metro median of $46,530 is 3.7% below the Michigan median of $48,300. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Traverse City?

Lawyers ($118,730), Financial Managers ($112,600), Medical and Health Services Managers ($105,280). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Traverse City unusually full of?

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, at 2.2× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.