Best Jobs in Michigan for 2014

Michigan has long staked its economic identity to the automotive industry, and the state remains the head-and-shoulders national leader for creating such jobs. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 114,900 Michigan residents are employed in motor vehicle parts manufacturing, which is almost 50,000 more than in Ohio, the state with the next highest total.

These jobs include the industrial designers who draft and test parts, as well as the logisticians responsible for procurement and distribution of those parts, and they continue to rank among the top jobs in the state.

Of course, hiring growth in the information technology, retail and health care sectors also have been strong across Michigan and is expected to improve further this year, according to the new CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report for 2014.

The Michigan economy boasts hiring growth among a variety of jobs of various backgrounds and skill sets. The state’s 7.4% unemployment rate remains above the national average of 6.2%, but that rate has been declining steadily since its peak in early 2010.

Bolstering the state’s improved outlook are the rebounding manufacturing and commerce sectors.

Manufacturers exporting parts, for example, are recruiting top-flight logisticians at a strong pace. Thus, the state is one of the top employers of logisticians in the nation and offers the most competitive wages. Logisticians in the Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills metropolitan area, for instance, earn an annual mean salary of $84,820, according to the BLS, making it one of the highest paying regions in the country for the profession.

Fields such as sales and financial management also are growing steadily in Michigan, while the automotive sector still plays a key role. The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan reports that last year, three of the top hiring companies of new graduates were General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC.

In fact, hiring of college graduates statewide is improving and should reach new heights in the near-future, according to a new study by Phil Gardner, director of the Michigan State University Collegiate Employment Research Institute. He projects “double-digit expansion in some areas (as) the market has progressed steadily during the past four years and a more robust market may be just around the corner.”

Wholesale and retail trade careers also are expanding, reports the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB), which projects that more than 700,000 workers in the state labor force are now employed in those sectors. One such field is wholesale sales representative, which has seen hiring climb steadily since 2012, DTMB reports.

In addition, health care professions in Michigan are adding new job opportunities at a steady pace, and pay is rising fast. Medical science researchers in Michigan, for instance, earn an average annual salary of almost $18,000 more than the national average. And physical therapists in Michigan earn average salaries above the national average in a growing hiring market, while nursing care facility employment has risen each of the last three years.

The following is a list of the best jobs in Michigan for 2014, based on factors weighed in the CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report. All salaries reflect statewide figures, and are compiled via the BLS.