Cost of hiring in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area
BLS counts about 11,610 people in these 17 roles in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($84,830 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,720), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,790 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.4% | 840 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.4% | 70 | |
| HR Assistant | -7.1% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.3% | 1,410 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -10.1% | 1,790 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.0% | 940 | |
| Paralegal | -15.2% | 110 | |
| Recruiter | -15.4% | 570 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -15.5% | 1,580 | |
| Accountant | -16.6% | 1,150 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -16.9% | 70 | |
| Office Manager | -17.0% | 1,060 | |
| Project Coordinator | -17.1% | 470 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -17.5% | 140 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -18.6% | 440 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -29.5% | 490 | |
| Executive Assistant | -37.6% | 430 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $40,250 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $51,935 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Mid Michigan nonmetro area against the US
The Mid Michigan nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for virtual receptionists (-3.4%) and data entry specialists (-5.4%) and largest for executive assistants (-37.6%). The middle gap across all 17 is -15.5%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for virtual receptionists, #221 of 521 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #504 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Mid Michigan nonmetro area has more bookkeepers (12.1% of these jobs here, against 8.7% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (8.1% against 6.1%), and fewer paralegals (0.9% against 2.5%) and sales development representatives (3.8% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Bowling Green, KY is nearest, at -15.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter, SC | -15.4% | 13 | 3,280 |
| Tallahassee, FL | -15.4% | 16 | 20,520 |
| Bowling Green, KY | -15.5% | 15 | 6,960 |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | -15.5% (this area) | 17 | 11,610 |
| Montgomery, AL | -15.5% | 16 | 18,070 |
| Abilene, TX | -15.5% | 16 | 8,940 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area span $33,680–$101,800, the widest band (3.0×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,410–$47,510. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 12 of 17 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, accountants, executive assistants and 5 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($64,700 against a $55,500 median for marketing specialists).
the Mid Michigan nonmetro area against Michigan
Against Michigan as a whole, the Mid Michigan nonmetro area pays more only for data entry specialists (+2.7%), and less for 16, most of all executive assistants (-28.5%). It has the lowest median in Michigan for office managers, payroll specialists and executive assistants.
Other areas in Michigan
By jobs in these roles, the Mid Michigan nonmetro area is #5 of 19 areas in Michigan. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Detroit-Warren to Saginaw.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | 180,750 | 17 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 51,290 | 17 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 21,260 | 17 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 19,610 | 17 |
| Flint, MI | 11,050 | 17 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 10,830 | 17 |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,870 | 17 |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,630 | 17 |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,320 | 17 |
| Saginaw, MI | 8,170 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $84,830 a year, about $109,458 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,720.
Is hiring in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-37.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.