Office Manager salary in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area
The Northern Michigan nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for office managers: the median of $59,060 a year1 is 8.7% below the Michigan statewide median of $64,720, and 15.0% below the US median of $69,500. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#410 of 519). BLS counts about 730 people in this job here, 2% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | $39,730 | $59,060 | $85,090 | |
| Michigan | $44,830 | $64,720 | $98,770 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
Office managers at the 90th percentile earn $85,090, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of office managers in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area earns $47,040–$71,230. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,190 wide, against $28,850 across Michigan and $29,140 nationally: employers in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,730 | $3,311 | $19.10 | $51,265 |
| 25th percentile | $47,040 | $3,920 | $22.62 | $60,697 |
| Median | $59,060 | $4,922 | $28.39 | $76,206 |
| 75th percentile | $71,230 | $5,936 | $34.25 | $91,910 |
| 90th percentile | $85,090 | $7,091 | $40.91 | $109,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,020 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,170, or about $15,703 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, and the Michigan statewide median of $64,720 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,146 to the $59,060 median and brings it to $76,206 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($60,280) and executive assistants ($58,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,840.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +18.1% | 840 | |
| Recruiter | +2.1% | 430 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 730 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.6% | 160 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.5% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area (-15.0%), between medical administrative assistants (-14.9%) and administrative assistants (-16.6%). The typical role here is at -15.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, 7.6% across Michigan and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $57,700 in the Mid Michigan nonmetro area to $69,520 in Lansing-East Lansing, a gap of $11,820 a year. Of the 8 areas in Michigan with more office managers than the Northern Michigan nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($57,700).
| Area | Median | vs the Northern Michigan nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +4.4% | 300 | |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | +3.9% | 760 | |
| Midland, MI | +1.9% | 240 | |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 710 | |
| Bay City, MI | +0.3% | 180 | |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | this area | 730 | |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,060 |
the Northern Michigan nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northern Michigan nonmetro area is #314 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Michigan, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton and Rocky Mount pay just above the Northern Michigan nonmetro area and Springfield and Killeen-Temple just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northern Michigan nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +34.7% | 740 | jobs | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +11.8% | 740 | jobs | |
| Salisbury, MD | +9.0% | 730 | jobs | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +0.2% | 340 | pay | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +0.1% | 960 | pay | |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | this area | 730 | ||
| Springfield, OH | -0.0% | 400 | pay | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -0.1% | 1,430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Northern Michigan (Nonmetro)?
About $76,206 a year at the median, or $6,351 a month: $59,060 in pay plus about $17,146 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $59,060 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,730, the 90th $85,090, and the middle half earned $47,040 to $71,230.
Is the Northern Michigan nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Michigan for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,060 against $64,720 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Bay City at $59,210, the next down the Mid Michigan nonmetro area at $57,700.
How many office managers work in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 730 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Michigan total of 30,690. 8 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is the Southern Michigan nonmetro area, with about 760.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area?
Yes: $350 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,060 and $58,710.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.