Cost of hiring in Traverse City, MI
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 16 jobs in Traverse City, with about 960 people1. Medians run from $36,900 a year for virtual receptionists to $83,720 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Traverse City
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.2% | 50 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -2.9% | 540 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -6.1% | 960 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.0% | 640 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.1% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.2% | 530 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.5% | 890 | |
| Paralegal | -10.5% | 120 | |
| Accountant | -10.6% | 610 | |
| Office Manager | -11.1% | 620 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.3% | 350 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -12.3% | 30 | |
| Recruiter | -15.1% | 270 | |
| Project Coordinator | -18.2% | 260 | |
| Executive Assistant | -23.8% | 90 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -24.5% | 340 |
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 $42,030 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $54,232 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Traverse City against the US
Traverse City pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-2.2%) and virtual receptionists (-2.9%) and largest for marketing specialists (-24.5%). The middle gap across all 16 is -10.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #166 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #397 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Traverse City has more bookkeepers (14.0% of these jobs here, against 8.7% nationally) and virtual receptionists (8.5% against 5.8%), and fewer executive assistants (1.4% against 2.9%) and project coordinators (4.1% against 6.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Harrisonburg, VA is nearest, at -10.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | -10.5% | 17 | 47,890 |
| Traverse City, MI | -10.6% (this area) | 16 | 6,340 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -10.6% | 16 | 4,890 |
| Bloomington, IN | -10.6% | 16 | 5,840 |
| Lynchburg, VA | -10.7% | 17 | 8,420 |
| Greenville, NC | -10.8% | 16 | 7,660 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Traverse City span $38,890–$119,120, the widest band (3.1×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $37,500–$49,560. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists and recruiters: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($69,880 against a $62,110 median for sales development representatives).
Traverse City against Michigan
Against Michigan as a whole, Traverse City pays more for 2 of 16 roles, led by data entry specialists (+6.2%) and medical administrative assistants (+2.6%), and less for 14, most of all project coordinators (-17.1%). Its best rank within Michigan is #5 of 19 areas, for medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Michigan
By jobs in these roles, Traverse City is #12 of 19 areas in Michigan. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Kalamazoo-Portage to Midland.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Niles, MI | 4,780 | 15 |
| Jackson, MI | 4,680 | 15 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | 4,010 | 16 |
| Battle Creek, MI | 3,900 | 14 |
| Midland, MI | 3,720 | 13 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Traverse City?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $83,720 a year, about $108,026 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,900.
Is hiring in Traverse City cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-24.5%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.