State of the Region 2024

PROSPERITY

2023–2024 % Change

2019–2024 % Change

Title

2019 2023 2024

Assembler 1

$15.02

$18.53

$17.92

-3.29%

19.31%

Machine Operator

$16.64

$18.38 $19.96

8.60%

19.95%

Assembler 2

$16.74

$19.93

$21.99

10.34%

31.36%

WAGES AND OCCUPATIONS Average hourly earnings in Greater Grand Rapids reached $31.08/hr in Q3 2024, a moderate increase from the $30.87/hr rate during the same quarter of the previous year. Regional wages have fallen in recent quarters, putting wages on par with mid-2022 numbers. Average wages across both Michigan and U.S. outpace those of the region.

Material Handler

$16.54

$19.89

$20.39

2.51%

23.28%

Packer

$14.70

$18.02

$19.39

7.60%

31.90%

Injection Molding Machine Operator I

$14.87

$18.74

$19.23

2.61%

29.32%

Registered Nurse

$31.47

$34.04

$36.10

6.05%

14.71%

Case Worker

$17.20

$23.16

$21.97

-5.14%

27.73%

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS BY QUARTER

Social Worker

$27.16

$33.24

$29.57

-11.04%

8.87%

$37

Software Eng 1

$59,136

$71,379 $78,013

9.29%

31.92%

Greater Grand Rapids

Michigan

United States

Software Eng 2

$74,395 $95,996 $95,447

-0.57%

28.30%

$35

Software Eng 3

$95,647 $107,546 $123,107

14.47%

28.71%

OP Systems Programmer I OP Systems Programmer II Network Administrator

$58,073 $62,393 $59,885

-4.02%

3.12%

$33

$81,954 $84,489 $84,982

-0.59%

3.70%

$31

$70,530 $84,407 $84,507

0.12%

19.82%

$29

Accountant I

$50,726 $53,415 $58,808

10.10%

15.93%

Controller

$101,771 $115,405 $123,593

7.10%

21.44%

$27

HR Manager

$80,000 $95,563 $88,782

-7.10%

10.98%

$25

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Admin Assistant II

$41,981 $49,427 $48,184

-2.51%

14.78%

Source: Federal Bank of St. Louis and Bureau of Labor Statistics

Help Desk II

$22.27

$26.78

$27.91

4.22%

25.33%

Wage growth at the occupational level has proven a mixed bag, with some positions such as Software Engineer III (14.5%), Manufacturing Assembler II (10.3%), Paralegal (37.3%), and Accountant I (10.1%) showing double-digit wage growth compared to the previous year. Though, other occupations including social workers (-11%) and Human Resource Managers (-7%) have experienced significant declines.

Paralegal

$72,219 $62,491 $85,824

37.34%

18.84%

Buyer II

$60,824 $68,881 $70,905

2.94%

16.57%

Source: The Employers Association (TEA)

18

STATE OF THE REGION 2024

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