The largest employers in the Detroit region include Ford Motor Company, Stellantis, General Motors, and University of Michigan, totaling more than 164,400 full-time employees in 2022. The city of Detroit’s largest employers include Rocket Companies Inc, Stellantis, the city of Detroit, and Henry Ford Health, employing a total of 41,630 full-time individuals in 2022.
The Detroit region employs over 2.3 million people spread across 11 counties.
It is home to 34 colleges and universities and more than 387,000 businesses including 9 of Michigan’s Fortune 500 companies with headquarters in the state.
Top Employers
Largest Detroit Employers
| Company | Full-Time Employees in City of Detroit (July 2022) |
| Rocket Companies Inc. | 14,109 |
| Stellantis NV | 10,861 |
| City of Detroit | 8,942 |
| Henry Ford Health System | 7,718 |
| U.S. Government | 6,673 |
| Detroit Public Schools Community District | 6,665 |
| Detroit Medical Center | 6,415 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan/Blue Care Network | 5,469 |
| Ilitch Holdings Inc. | 5,034 |
| DTE Energy Co. | 4,794 |
Largest Southeast Michigan Employers
| Company | City | Full-Time Employees in SE MI (July 2022) |
| Ford Motor Co. | Dearborn | 47,750 |
| Stellantis NV | Auburn Hills | 42,444 |
| General Motors Co. | Detroit | 38,600 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | 35,620 |
| Corewell Health | N/A | 21,674 |
| U.S. Government | Detroit | 19,953 |
| Henry Ford Health System | Detroit | 17,469 |
| Rocket Companies Inc. | Detroit | 14,109 |
| Trinity Health Michigan | Livonia | 13,186 |
| Ascension Michigan | Warren | 12,085 |
Total Employed Workforce
The Detroit Region employs over 2.3 million people in industries spread across 11 counties. The primary industries in the Detroit region are:
- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: 19% of employment
- Professional and Business Services: 17%
- Health Services and Private Education: 16%
- Government: 12%
- Manufacturing: 12%
Employment by County
Much of the employment in the Detroit Region is concentrated across four major counties. In 2023, the Detroit Region counties making up the largest share of the employment were Oakland (31.0%), Wayne (30.7%), Macomb (14.5%), and Washtenaw (9.2%).
New Jobs
Since 2019, Construction industry has added 8,408 new jobs in the Detroit Region, more than any other industry in the Detroit Region. The Professional Service industry experienced the largest decrease in net new jobs, declining by more than 17,000 new jobs since 2019.
Average Salary by Industry
In 2023, the annual average salary for the Detroit Region was $70,471 slightly lower than the national average ($72,357). With an average annual salary of $102,560 the Information industry led among all industries in the Region, followed by Professional & Business Services ($96,704), Financial Activities ($92,430), and Manufacturing ($82,733).
Learn about the region’s economics, workforce and talent, industry clusters and more.
For additional information, contact the Data and Research team.
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