Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $100,970
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 110 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lansing
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 Lansing. 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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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $102,090
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 440 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
voronaman // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,570
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $103,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $104,080
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 320 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $104,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $104,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.32
- Total employment: 560 people (2.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $104,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Biological science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,190
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 170 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. History teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $105,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $105,450
- Median hourly wage: $50.70
- Total employment: 190 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,510
- Median hourly wage: $50.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $105,540
- Median hourly wage: $50.74
- Total employment: 580 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $105,820
- Median hourly wage: $50.88
- Total employment: 80 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $105,940
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $106,480
- Median hourly wage: $51.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $106,800
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Art directors
- Median annual wage: $107,120
- Median hourly wage: $51.50
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $108,070
- Median hourly wage: $51.96
- Total employment: 570 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $108,960
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $110,960
- Median hourly wage: $53.35
- Total employment: Not available
creativemarc // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $117,840
- Median hourly wage: $56.65
- Total employment: 1,530 people (7.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $121,470
- Median hourly wage: $58.40
- Total employment: 150 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $122,280
- Median hourly wage: $58.79
- Total employment: 140 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $122,470
- Median hourly wage: $58.88
- Total employment: 540 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $123,490
- Median hourly wage: $59.37
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer science teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $124,180
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 80 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $124,680
- Median hourly wage: $59.94
- Total employment: 230 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $125,650
- Median hourly wage: $60.41
- Total employment: 250 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $127,270
- Median hourly wage: $61.19
- Total employment: 1,050 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,790
- Median hourly wage: $61.44
- Total employment: 250 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $128,640
- Median hourly wage: $61.85
- Total employment: 340 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $128,660
- Median hourly wage: $61.86
- Total employment: 70 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $128,790
- Median hourly wage: $61.92
- Total employment: 850 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $130,410
- Median hourly wage: $62.70
- Total employment: 220 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $130,930
- Median hourly wage: $62.95
- Total employment: 850 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $132,960
- Median hourly wage: $63.92
- Total employment: 490 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Business teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $133,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 240 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $133,840
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 670 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $134,280
- Median hourly wage: $64.56
- Total employment: 280 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Worawee Meepian // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Median annual wage: $137,780
- Median hourly wage: $66.24
- Total employment: 120 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Law teachers, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $174,710
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $177,670
- Median hourly wage: $85.42
- Total employment: 450 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $186,580
- Median hourly wage: $89.70
- Total employment: 210 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $207,260
- Median hourly wage: $99.65
- Total employment: 190 people (0.9 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: $219,360
- Median hourly wage: $105.46
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Nurse anesthetists
- Median annual wage: $235,930
- Median hourly wage: $113.43
- Total employment: 120 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 380 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.38 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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