TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $93,700
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Kalamazoo
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 Kalamazoo. 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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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $94,030
- Median hourly wage: $45.21
- Total employment: 560 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $94,840
- Median hourly wage: $45.60
- Total employment: 1,090 people (9.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Chiropractors
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $95,150
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $95,890
- Median hourly wage: $46.10
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $96,140
- Median hourly wage: $46.22
- Total employment: 280 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,230
- Median hourly wage: $46.27
- Total employment: 130 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,640
- Median hourly wage: $46.46
- Total employment: 70 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $97,100
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 190 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $98,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.53
- Total employment: 2,240 people (18.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $98,980
- Median hourly wage: $47.59
- Total employment: 470 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 430 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $99,750
- Median hourly wage: $47.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $100,700
- Median hourly wage: $48.42
- Total employment: 270 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $102,180
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 280 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $102,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $104,710
- Median hourly wage: $50.34
- Total employment: 270 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $104,730
- Median hourly wage: $50.35
- Total employment: 400 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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creativemarc // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.71
- Total employment: 190 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $106,610
- Median hourly wage: $51.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $107,550
- Median hourly wage: $51.71
- Total employment: 230 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $108,320
- Median hourly wage: $52.08
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,570
- Median hourly wage: $52.20
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $109,400
- Median hourly wage: $52.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
antoniodiaz // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Nurse midwives
- Median annual wage: $114,940
- Median hourly wage: $55.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $118,720
- Median hourly wage: $57.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $120,340
- Median hourly wage: $57.86
- Total employment: 140 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $125,910
- Median hourly wage: $60.54
- Total employment: 500 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $126,420
- Median hourly wage: $60.78
- Total employment: 160 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,600
- Median hourly wage: $61.35
- Total employment: 230 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $128,140
- Median hourly wage: $61.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $129,390
- Median hourly wage: $62.21
- Total employment: 150 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $129,720
- Median hourly wage: $62.37
- Total employment: 410 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $130,090
- Median hourly wage: $62.54
- Total employment: 80 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $130,330
- Median hourly wage: $62.66
- Total employment: 200 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $130,780
- Median hourly wage: $62.88
- Total employment: 260 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $130,840
- Median hourly wage: $62.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $131,250
- Median hourly wage: $63.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $131,790
- Median hourly wage: $63.36
- Total employment: 500 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $136,750
- Median hourly wage: $65.75
- Total employment: 190 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $138,140
- Median hourly wage: $66.41
- Total employment: 290 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $141,170
- Median hourly wage: $67.87
- Total employment: 250 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $142,960
- Median hourly wage: $68.73
- Total employment: 310 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $154,860
- Median hourly wage: $74.45
- Total employment: 140 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $204,300
- Median hourly wage: $98.22
- Total employment: 90 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $233,640
- Median hourly wage: $112.33
- Total employment: 110 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $234,380
- Median hourly wage: $112.69
- Total employment: 310 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 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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