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Talent

Talent Drives Business Growth

In 2017, the Detroit region’s civilian labor force was greater than 2.5 million. Southeast Michigan is not short of skilled labor and is one of the area’s primary assets as a manufacturing location. This stable and well-educated workforce is ready and able to adapt to the changing needs of today’s technological innovations. In fact, Michigan is among the nation’s leaders for skilled manufacturing workers. The regional broad base of manufacturing expertise assists in the recruiting and training of staff.

In addition to a large pool of graduates from the area’s top-rated private universities and two-year colleges, regional Detroit employers have access to graduates from excellent schools including the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Oakland University, and Eastern Michigan University.

Regional Detroit Largest Occupations

The Detroit region is a large employer of service and retail occupations, indicating its presence as a hub for all types of retailers as well as a growing center for the restaurant business. The Detroit region is also a renowned center for health care providers, demonstrated through its employment of over 55,000 registered nurses, a number that continues to grow each year.

Description2017 Jobs2017 Median Hourly Earnings
Retail Salespersons83,448$11.04
Combined Food Preparation and Serving66,883$9.52
Office Clerks, General60,869$15.97
Real Estate Sales Agents59,628$19.81
Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other, Including Team Assemblers56,641$17.71
Registered Nurses55,492$34.11
Customer Service Representatives51,731$15.89
Cashiers48,416$9.87
Waiters and Waitresses44,902$9.71
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners43,503$11.67
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers40,576$18.01
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive137,928$17.10
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand37,114$13.86
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products34,288$26.73
Mechanical Engineers34,053$44.23
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists33,889$10.70
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers32,775$11.31
General and Operations Managers32,597$50.71
Postsecondary Teachers31,341$23.57
Personal Care Aides31,262$10.03
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Fastest Growing Occupations in the Detroit Region, Net Change

It is estimated that over the next ten years the Detroit region will add more than 182,000 jobs to its workforce. Management occupations lead the growth with an expected 20,000 positions forecast followed by Sales and related occupations and Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations.

Description2017 Jobs2026 JobsNet Change
Personal Care Aides31,26240,4659,203
Real Estate Sales Agents59,62866,8477,219
Registered Nurses55,49261,2535,761
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists33,88939,5265,637
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers40,57646,0725,496
Home Health Aides24,47829,9035,425
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food66,88371,8784,995
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers25,15029,2604,110
Software Developers, Applications19,44823,4864,038
Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs11,19415,2154,021
Managers, All Other27,12330,6753,552
Postsecondary Teachers31,34134,7733,432
General and Operations Managers32,59736,0283,431
Mechanical Engineers34,05337,2913,238
Personal Financial Advisors20,62423,7963,172
Customer Service Representatives51,73154,8293,098
Nonfarm Animal Caretakers16,01818,7862,768
Construction Laborers22,42625,0732,647
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers24,67627,2462,570
Self-Enrichment Education Teachers11,90814,4732,565
Total Forecasted Job Growth86,378
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Highest Paid Occupations in the Detroit Region

The Detroit region is filled with expert health care practitioners and medical specialists. In 2017, highly specialized medical workers (anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurse anesthetists, orthodontists, etc.) all displayed median hourly earnings over $80.

Highest Paid Occupations 2017

Description2017 Jobs2017 Median Hourly Earnings
Surgeons1,203$99.50
Anesthesiologists635$95.26
Nurse Anesthetists1,426$91.23
Prosthodontists14$89.22
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons105$87.81
Orthodontists106$84.14
Psychiatrists581$83.59
Internists, General2,104$83.21
Dentists, All Other Specialists94$80.50
Dentists, General3,314$78.95
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

STEM Occupations in the Detroit Region

With more than 200 occupational and educational programs granting nearly 33,000 STEM related degrees in 2017, the Detroit region develops professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while making sure it retains them. The current STEM workforce in metro Detroit totals over 425,000 workers.

Michigan leads the nation in mechanical and industrial engineering talent. There are more than 44,000 mechanical engineers and 28,000 industrial engineers employed throughout the state. Most of these engineers are employed with companies located within the Detroit region.

Computer and Mathematical Occupations

SOCDescription2017 Jobs2027 Jobs2017 Avg. Hourly Earnings
11-3021Computer and Information Systems Managers7,0127,766$62.87
15-1111Computer and Information Research Scientists205306$47.75
15-1121Computer Systems Analysts13,75014,419$40.53
15-1122Information Security Analysts1,1841,566$45.96
15-1131Computer Programmers3,6563,673$32.59
15-1132Software Developers, Applications1,94823,486$44.82
15-1133Software Developers, Systems Software8,8489,759$42.68
15-1134Web Developers3,7454,263$24.19
15-1141Database Administrators1,9692,146$42.05
15-1142Network and Computer Systems Administrators5,5625,970$38.85
15-1143Computer Network Architects2,5112,672$49.52
15-1151Computer User Support Specialists12,31013,308$24.67
15-1199Computer Occupations, All Other7,0267,564$36.92
15-2011Actuaries239286$52.71
15-2021Mathematicians4559$41.43
15-2031Operations Research Analysts1,3871,748$42.35
15-2041Statisticians472617$40.11
15-2098Miscellaneous Mathematical Science Occupations3438$42.00
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Architecture and Engineering Occupations

SOCDescription2017 Jobs2026 Jobs2017 Avg. Hourly Earnings
17-1011Architects, Except Landscape and Naval2,9963,124$32.93
17-1012Landscape Architects459494$28.20
17-1021Cartographers and Photogrammetrists209242$32.62
17-1022Surveyors715942$28.78
17-2011Aerospace Engineers236356$40.77
17-2021Agricultural Engineers2224$41.77
17-2031Biomedical Engineers40161$34.56
17-2041Chemical Engineers467568$51.08
17-2051Civil Engineers6,4818,596$38.37
17-2061Computer Hardware Engineers1,1861,325$42.48
17-2071Electrical Engineers7,4128,463$43.27
17-2072Electronics Engineers, Except Computer2,5372,832$41.51
17-2081Environmental Engineers8891,052$46.20
17-2111Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors514562$39.67
17-2112Industrial Engineers19,43820,977$44.86
17-2121Marine Engineers and Naval Architects198244$45.43
17-2131Materials Engineers874935$41.72
17-2141Mechanical Engineers34,05337,291$45.39
17-2151Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Mechanical Engineers		86103$45.28
17-2161Nuclear Engineers380405$45.74
17-2171Petroleum Engineers171206$60.10
17-2199Engineers, All Other6,4166,824$45.08
17-3011Architectural and Civil Drafters1,9382,405$23.85
17-3012Electrical and Electronics Drafters404501$25.37
17-3013Mechanical Drafters2,0772,244$27.91
17-3019Drafters, All Other260314$24.07
17-3021Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians254304$34.60
17-3022Civil Engineering Technicians1,3771,799$23.83
17-3023Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians2,0772,355$29.33
17-3024Electro-Mechanical Technicians342378$31.12
17-3025Environmental Engineering Technicians162227$25.23
17-3026Industrial Engineering Technicians2,8082,833$226.55
17-3027Mechanical Engineering Technicians3,6033,783$27.49
17-3029Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other1,6151,774$30.75
17-3031Surveying and Mapping Technicians765945$22.70
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

SOCDescription2017 Jobs2026 Jobs2017 Avg. Hourly Earnings
19-1012Food Scientists and Technologists358389$34.71
19-1013Soil and Plant Scientists203226$29.06
19-1021Biochemists and Biophysicists265319$38.58
19-1022Microbiologists189223$31.86
19-1023Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists8199$32.11
19-1029Biological Scientists, All Other282334$38.82
19-1031Conservation Scientists106117$30.45
19-1032Foresters6667$29.29
19-1041Epidemiologists8592$35.29
19-1042Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists2,1022,334$30.66
19-1099Life Scientists, All Other97106$37.06
19-2011Astronomers3035$58.10
19-2012Physicists175271$63.66
19-2021Atmospheric and Space Scientists67139$45.19
19-2031Chemists1,2931,915$39.02
19-2032Materials Scientists405185$48.68
19-2041Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health681,493$33.56
19-2042Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers426500$40.04
19-2043Hydrologists6884$37.89
19-2099Physical Scientists, All Other426490$40.65
19-3011Economists151173$44.90
19-3022Survey Researchers292342$26.85
19-3031Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists5,6095,978$39.27
19-3032Industrial-Organizational Psychologists3226$45.18
19-3039Psychologists, All Other541623$43.61
19-3041Sociologist5166$36.20
19-3051Urban and Regional Planners338393$30.94
19-3091Anthropologists and Archaeologists107128$29.17
19-3092Geographers2434$33.86
19-3094Political Scientists6783$44.99
19-3099Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other385451$35.24
19-4011Agricultural and Food Science Technicians219254$19.96
19-4021Biological Technicians711847$18.78
19-4031Chemical Technicians1,1671,360$23.54
19-4041Geological and Petroleum Technicians217254$25.55
19-4051Nuclear Technicians5462$42.07
19-4061Social Science Research Assistants680757$21.31
19-4091Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health558645$24.07
19-4092Forensic Science Technicians177183$29.79
19-4093Forest and Conservation Technicians166204$19.14
19-4099Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other2,5002,709$21.21
25-2023Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School9582$27.34
25-2032Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School467445$27.35
27-1021Commercial and Industrial Designers4,8685,206$35.71
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Health Care Occupations

SOCOccupation Description2017 Jobs2026 Jobs2017 Avg. Hourly Wages
29-1010Chiropractors952979$34.59
29-1020Dentists3,6333,877$85.25
29-1030Dietitians and Nutritionists1,3681,485$29.04
29-1040Optometrists1,0691,192$56.15
29-1050Pharmacists5,5725,727$55.52
29-1060Physicians and Surgeons23,15424,204$82.62
29-1070Physician Assistants2,6913,290$48.43
29-1080Podiatrists433406$48.77
29-1120Therapists16,02818,621$36.74
29-1130Veterinarians1,3181,537$45.11
29-1140Registered Nurses55,49261,253$34.43
29-1150Nurse Anesthetists1,4261,529$90.03
29-1160Nurse Midwives103120$46.38
29-1170Nurse Practitioners2,6003,324$50.23
29-1180Audiologists230275$35.35
29-1190Miscellaneous Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners1,5701,795$28.41
29-2010Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians8,7919,015$37.53
29-2020Dental Hygienists5,7876,338$30.07
29-2030Diagnostic Related Technologists and Technicians8,5199,051$28.75
29-2040Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics3,6734,219$15.95
29-2050Health Practitioner Support Technologists and Technicians14,36315,445$16.98
29-2060Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses8,67310,376$23.93
29-2070Medical Records and Health Information Technicians3,6914,062$19.66
29-2080Opticians, Dispensing2,0612,278$17.96
29-2090Miscellaneous Health Technologists and Technicians2,3322,627$26.63
29-9010Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians1,4331,608$35.66
29-9090Miscellaneous Health Practitioners and Technical Workers1,1531,348$33.92
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l

Jobs Forecast

Region2017 Jobs2026 Jobs% Growth
Southeast Michigan3,096,5503,278,7696.0%
United States196,403,461217,253,77411.0%
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists Int’l.
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