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News Release Information

18-604-CHI
Thursday, May 31, 2018

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Occupational Employment and Wages For Selected Engineering Occupations in Michigan’s Metropolitan Areas — May 2017

Among the 15 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in Michigan, 10 areas had annual mean wages that were significantly below the national average for electrical engineers and mechanical engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Nine areas had below-average wages for industrial engineers. Civil engineers in eight areas had wages that were significantly below the national average. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that three metropolitan areas–Ann Arbor, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, and Flint–had annual wages that were significantly higher than the national average for industrial engineers. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for mechanical engineers was $91,500; for industrial engineers, $90,340; for electrical engineers, $99,580; and for civil engineers, $91,790. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in Michigan, please see the Technical Note.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected engineering occupations in the United States, Michigan, and metropolitan areas in Michigan, May 2017
Area Mechanical engineers Industrial engineers Electrical engineers Civil engineers

United States

$91,500 $90,340 $99,580 $91,790

Michigan

90,850 88,330* 88,250* 80,000*

Ann Arbor

84,850* 95,220* 86,710* 91,500

Battle Creek

101,040 87,030 70,660* (1)

Bay City

82,500 92,250 (1) (1)

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

94,690* 92,900* 90,680* 80,690*

Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia

96,380* 90,610 92,780* 90,210

Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills

93,830 93,940* 89,460* 77,790*

Flint

78,670* 93,860* 101,120 65,880*

Grand Rapids-Wyoming

72,920* 75,250* 75,190* 73,490*

Jackson

90,610 78,130* 100,980 91,360

Kalamazoo-Portage

75,900* 80,410* 87,720* 72,500*

Lansing-East Lansing

78,120* 85,240* 79,530* 78,650*

Midland

64,480* 98,250 (1) (1)

Monroe

80,850* 76,920* 70,180* 61,740*

Muskegon

74,990* 73,710* 81,010* 80,430

Niles-Benton Harbor

94,400 86,290* 98,180 (1)

Saginaw

79,100* 78,080* 91,130* 67,550*

South Bend-Mishawaka

72,200* 77,740* 78,370* 72,420*

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.

Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

Total employment for the four selected engineering occupations in Michigan was 91,650. Sixty-nine percent (63,020) of the combined state employment in the selected occupations was located in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metropolitan area (the Detroit MSA). The Grand Rapids-Wyoming area had a total employment of 8,610 for the four engineering occupations. In each of the remaining areas for which data were available for the four occupations, total employment was less than 3,500. (See table B.)

Table B. Employment of selected engineering occupations in the United States, Michigan, and metropolitan areas in Michigan, May 2017
Area Mechanical engineers Industrial engineers Electrical engineers Civil engineers

United States

291,290 265,520 183,370 298,910

Michigan

44,680 28,460 10,280 8,230

Ann Arbor

1,060 1,860 230 260

Battle Creek

330 210 110 50

Bay City

60 70 (1) (1)

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

33,100 17,500 6,940 5,480

Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia

11,140 5,460 2,540 1,280

Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills

21,970 12,040 4,390 4,200

Flint

170 360 160 40

Grand Rapids-Wyoming

3,750 3,380 930 550

Jackson

1,070 340 380 150

Kalamazoo-Portage

780 480 100 140

Lansing-East Lansing

780 610 240 660

Midland

100 140 (1) (1)

Monroe

240 110 (1) (1)

Muskegon

280 410 50 100

Niles-Benton Harbor

890 290 200 (1)

Saginaw

160 450 90 160

South Bend-Mishawaka

220 350 80 170

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.

Location quotients (LQs) allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. For example, a location quotient of 2.0 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally.

Several of Michigan’s metropolitan areas had high LQs for mechanical engineers and industrial engineers. For instance, the Jackson and the Detroit MSA had LQs for mechanical engineers of 8.8 and 8.2, respectively, indicating that this occupation was employed at 8.8 times the national rate in Jackson and 8.2 times the national rate in the Detroit MSA. Niles-Benton Harbor (7.0), Grand Rapids-Wyoming (3.3), and Monroe (3.1) also had high LQs for mechanical engineers. High LQ areas for industrial engineers included the Detroit MSA (4.8), Ann Arbor (4.7), Muskegon (3.6), and Grand Rapids-Wyoming (3.3). The Jackson area had an LQ of 5.0 for electrical engineers. (See table C.)

Table C. Location quotients of selected engineering occupations in the United States, Michigan, and metropolitan areas in Michigan, May 2017
Area Mechanical engineers Industrial engineers Electrical engineers Civil engineers

United States

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

Michigan

5.1 3.6 1.9 0.9

Ann Arbor

2.4 4.7 0.8 0.6

Battle Creek

2.9 2.1 1.5 0.5

Bay City

0.8 1.1 (1) (1)

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

8.2 4.8 2.7 1.3

Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia

7.4 4.0 2.7 0.8

Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills

8.7 5.3 2.8 1.6

Flint

0.6 1.4 0.9 0.1

Grand Rapids-Wyoming

3.3 3.3 1.3 0.5

Jackson

8.8 3.1 5.0 1.2

Kalamazoo-Portage

2.7 1.9 0.6 0.5

Lansing-East Lansing

1.8 1.5 0.9 1.5

Midland

1.4 2.2 (1) (1)

Monroe

3.1 1.6 (1) (1)

Muskegon

2.2 3.6 0.7 0.8

Niles-Benton Harbor

7.0 2.5 2.5 (1)

Saginaw

0.9 2.9 0.9 0.9

South Bend-Mishawaka

0.8 1.4 0.5 0.6

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.

Wages for mechanical engineers in Michigan’s metropolitan areas

In 10 metropolitan areas, mechanical engineers had annual wages that were significantly lower than the U.S. average of $91,500, ranging from $84,850 in Ann Arbor to $64,480 in Midland. The Detroit MSA had wages significantly above the national average at $94,690. Mechanical engineers in the remaining areas earned wages that were not measurably different from the national average for this occupation.

Wages for industrial engineers in Michigan’s metropolitan areas

Industrial engineers in Ann Arbor ($95,220), Flint ($93,860), and the Detroit MSA ($92,900) had annual average wages significantly above the U.S. average of $90,340. Nine metropolitan areas had wages that were measurably lower than the national average, ranging from $86,290 in the Niles-Benton Harbor area to $73,710 in Muskegon. Industrial engineers in the remaining areas earned wages that were not significantly different from the national average.

Wages for electrical engineers in Michigan’s metropolitan areas

Electrical engineers in 10 metropolitan areas for which data were available had annual wages that were significantly below the national average of $99,580. Wages in these metropolitan statistical areas ranged from $91,130 in Saginaw to $70,180 in Monroe. Electrical engineers in the remaining areas where data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the national average for this occupation.

Wages for civil engineers in Michigan’s metropolitan areas

Civil engineers in eight metropolitan areas for which data were available had annual wages that were significantly lower than the U.S. average of $91,790. Wages in these eight areas ranged from $80,690 in the Detroit MSA to $61,740 in Monroe. Civil engineers in the three remaining areas where data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the national average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Note

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2017 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2017, November 2016, May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, and November 2014. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 72 percent based on establishments and 68 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2017 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2017 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

  • Ann Arbor, Mich. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Washtenaw County in Michigan.
  • Battle Creek, Mich. MSA includes Calhoun County in Michigan.
  • Bay City, Mich. MSA includes Bay County in Michigan.
  • Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich. MSA includes the following:
    • Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Mich. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Wayne County in Michigan.
    • Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, Mich. MD includes Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, and St. Clair Counties in Michigan.
  • Flint, Mich. MSA includes Genesee County in Michigan.
  • Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich. MSA includes Barry, Kent, Montcalm, and Ottawa Counties in Michigan.
  • Jackson, Mich. MSA includes Jackson County in Michigan.
  • Kalamazoo-Portage, Mich. MSA includes Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties in Michigan.
  • Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. MSA includes Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties in Michigan.
  • Midland, Mich. MSA includes Midland County in Michigan.
  • Monroe, Mich. MSA includes Monroe County in Michigan.
  • Muskegon, Mich. MSA includes Muskegon County in Michigan.
  • Niles-Benton Harbor, Mich. MSA includes Berrien County in Michigan.
  • Saginaw, Mich. MSA includes Saginaw County in Michigan.
  • South Bend-Mishawaka, Ind.-Mich. MSA includes Cass County in Michigan and St. Joseph County in Indiana.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, May 31, 2018