THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $103,180
- Median hourly wage: $49.61
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Grand Rapids
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Grand Rapids. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $103,410
- Median hourly wage: $49.72
- Total employment: 1,090 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $103,970
- Median hourly wage: $49.98
- Total employment: 3,570 people (6.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
- Median annual wage: $104,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,250
- Median hourly wage: $50.60
- Total employment: 80 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $106,070
- Median hourly wage: $50.99
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,310
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $106,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.13
- Total employment: 1,520 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $106,900
- Median hourly wage: $51.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Engineering teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $107,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $107,280
- Median hourly wage: $51.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $107,630
- Median hourly wage: $51.75
- Total employment: 150 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $107,920
- Median hourly wage: $51.89
- Total employment: 130 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $107,930
- Median hourly wage: $51.89
- Total employment: 350 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $110,440
- Median hourly wage: $53.10
- Total employment: 2,290 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Suwin // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $113,310
- Median hourly wage: $54.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $118,530
- Median hourly wage: $56.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $118,790
- Median hourly wage: $57.11
- Total employment: 120 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $119,000
- Median hourly wage: $57.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,330
- Median hourly wage: $59.30
- Total employment: 380 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $124,480
- Median hourly wage: $59.85
- Total employment: 1,010 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $124,580
- Median hourly wage: $59.89
- Total employment: 960 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $127,150
- Median hourly wage: $61.13
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $127,170
- Median hourly wage: $61.14
- Total employment: 760 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $127,790
- Median hourly wage: $61.44
- Total employment: 2,210 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,370
- Median hourly wage: $61.72
- Total employment: 100 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $128,760
- Median hourly wage: $61.91
- Total employment: 290 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $129,230
- Median hourly wage: $62.13
- Total employment: 960 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $129,740
- Median hourly wage: $62.38
- Total employment: 150 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $130,090
- Median hourly wage: $62.55
- Total employment: 2,420 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $130,810
- Median hourly wage: $62.89
- Total employment: 1,380 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $131,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.10
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $131,460
- Median hourly wage: $63.20
- Total employment: 960 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $131,640
- Median hourly wage: $63.29
- Total employment: 50 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $133,710
- Median hourly wage: $64.29
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,860
- Median hourly wage: $64.84
- Total employment: 1,040 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $135,900
- Median hourly wage: $65.34
- Total employment: 1,400 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $139,980
- Median hourly wage: $67.30
- Total employment: 1,530 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $161,010
- Median hourly wage: $77.41
- Total employment: 80 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $172,000
- Median hourly wage: $82.69
- Total employment: 430 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $189,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $210,460
- Median hourly wage: $101.18
- Total employment: 400 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Psychiatrists
- Median annual wage: $217,050
- Median hourly wage: $104.35
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $220,960
- Median hourly wage: $106.23
- Total employment: 480 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $223,820
- Median hourly wage: $107.61
- Total employment: 240 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $224,260
- Median hourly wage: $107.82
- Total employment: 2,550 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Pediatricians, general (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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