The American Society of Employers (ASE) in Troy, Michigan’s largest employer association, has released the findings of the 2026 ASE Compensation Survey. It shows Michigan employers increased wages by 3.3 percent in 2026.
This year’s survey, described as the largest of its kind in Michigan, covered 600 positions with 467 Michigan companies responding. The data encompasses more than 110,000 incumbents.
Factors such as a high-uncertainty environment, a frozen labor market, and a shrinking labor supply all contributed to a salary growth rate of 3.3 percent compared to 3.2 percent in 2025.
Other Survey Highlights:
Key highlights from the analysis of the constant sample (70 percent) — companies that participated in both the 2025 and 2026 surveys — reveal the following job families with the highest reported wage growth:
- Facilities and Maintenance saw a 4.4 percent increase.
- Sales and Marketing professionals experienced robust growth, at 4.1 percent.
- Field Service/Sales roles experienced 4 percent wage growth.
- Accounting and Finance roles saw a 3.7 percent increase.
- Manufacturing and Plant Management came in at 3.7 percent.
- Operations and Supply Chain followed closely behind at 3.6 percent.
- Engineering roles posted a 3.5 percent increase.
- Human Resources positions saw a rise of 3.3 percent.
Some of the lowest increases were seen in Research and Scientific and Behavioral/Social Health roles, both with a modest increase of just 1.7 percent.
“Michigan employers continue to navigate a complex environment shaped by economic uncertainty, a slower-moving labor market, and ongoing workforce challenges,” says Mary E. Corrado, president and CEO of ASE.
“Despite those pressures, organizations remain committed to attracting and retaining talent, resulting in another year of steady wage growth. The 2026 ASE Compensation Survey provides employers with the reliable market data they need to make informed pay decisions and remain competitive in a changing workforce landscape.”
Comprehensive compensation data is available for 600 distinct job positions. 12 new job titles were added to the survey this year in the areas of Facilities & Maintenance, Sales/Marketing, Information Systems, Traffic and Fleet, and Welding.
The dataset includes detailed base pay information, highlighting key benchmarks across various percentiles:
- Base Pay
- Interquartile Ranges:
- 25th Percentile
- Median (50th Percentile)
- 75th Percentile
- Additional Extremes:
- 10th Percentile
- 90th Percentile
- Interquartile Ranges:
In addition to base pay, the data includes the average variable pay for each position, providing a more complete view of total cash compensation.
This information serves as a critical resource for employers seeking to make informed, competitive, and equitable compensation decisions.
A total of 467 companies participated in the 2026 survey, marking a 6.9 percent increase over the previous year and enhancing the depth and reliability of the data.
Metro Detroit continues to represent the largest share of responses, accounting for 50.3 percent of the overall sample. Participation from the Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland areas made up 20 percent of the survey participation, with 93 organizations from that region participating.
Nearly 80 percent of participating organizations reported having between 1 and 500 employees, indicating a strong representation of small to mid-sized employers. Additionally, 73.8 percent of respondents reported annual revenues under $100 million.
The full report is available for participating ASE members in the ASE Survey Library and is available for purchase by completing this request form.
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