Lineman salary in Michigan
Median $51.39 an hour for 2,800 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in Michigan: the full range
Michigan ranks 13th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 14th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $53.42). 2,800 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.0× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $31.48 – $40.89 | $65,480 – $85,050 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $40.89 – $60.12 | $85,050 – $125,050 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $60.12 – $63.25 | $125,050 – $131,570 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in Michigan
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | $40.24 | $52.39 | $56.09 | $61.38 | 60 | 2% above |
| Detroit | $30.61 | $50.17 | $50.02 | $62.56 | 860 | 2% below |
| Grand Rapids | $32.07 | $50.02 | $52.38 | $63.28 | 170 | 3% below |
| South Bend | $36.73 | $49.90 | $53.71 | $60.21 | 130 | 3% below |
| Niles | $31.36 | $48.00 | $51.95 | $59.34 | 60 | 7% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Lineman wages in Michigan over time
Table
| Year | Michigan $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $22.71 | $43.89 | $20.97 | 4,530 |
| 2000 | $21.76 | $40.68 | $22.01 | 4,840 |
| 2001 | $23.11 | $42.01 | $22.70 | 4,310 |
| 2002 | $24.17 | $43.25 | $23.33 | 3,610 |
| 2003 | $24.47 | $42.81 | $23.54 | 3,430 |
| 2004 | $24.91 | $42.45 | $23.61 | 2,580 |
| 2005 | $28.10 | $46.32 | $24.11 | 2,470 |
| 2006 | $27.32 | $43.63 | $24.41 | 2,930 |
| 2007 | $28.38 | $44.07 | $25.27 | 2,490 |
| 2008 | $27.99 | $41.85 | $26.49 | 2,610 |
| 2009 | $29.35 | $44.04 | $27.24 | 2,520 |
| 2010 | $31.15 | $45.99 | $27.90 | 2,500 |
| 2011 | $29.96 | $42.88 | $28.94 | 2,870 |
| 2012 | $31.29 | $43.88 | $30.41 | 3,470 |
| 2013 | $31.76 | $43.89 | $30.85 | 3,640 |
| 2014 | $33.84 | $46.02 | $31.70 | 4,010 |
| 2015 | $35.17 | $47.77 | $31.95 | 4,100 |
| 2016 | $36.18 | $48.53 | $32.70 | 4,680 |
| 2017 | $37.10 | $48.73 | $33.36 | 4,260 |
| 2018 | $36.59 | $46.91 | $34.09 | 3,500 |
| 2019 | $37.57 | $47.31 | $34.86 | 3,230 |
| 2020 | $41.43 | $51.54 | $36.07 | 3,560 |
| 2021 | $46.98 | $55.82 | $37.65 | 3,750 |
| 2022 | $48.54 | $53.40 | $39.59 | 4,170 |
| 2023 | $48.53 | $51.28 | $41.07 | 3,580 |
| 2024 | $49.67 | $50.98 | $44.50 | 3,580 |
| 2025 | $51.39 | $51.39 | $45.83 | 2,800 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Michigan changed by +7.6% over the last ten years of data and by +8.6% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in Michigan?
BLS counted 2,800 linemen in Michigan in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 7%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in Michigan
Michigan's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +6.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,550 to 3,770, with about 300 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 2,800 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Michigan labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Michigan?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Michigan
More on Michigan
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in Michigan?
The median lineman in Michigan earned $51.39 an hour ($106,890 a year) in May 2025, 12% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $40.89–$60.12; the top 10% earn more than $63.25.
Where does Michigan rank for lineman pay?
Michigan ranks 13th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $51.39 an hour, and 14th after adjusting for Michigan's cost of living (BEA price parity 96.2, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in Michigan?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Michigan counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in Michigan?
BLS counted 2,800 linemen in Michigan in May 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.75; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in Michigan?
Michigan's labor market agency projects +6.4% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 3,550 to 3,770 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in Michigan?
Michigan projects about 300 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Michigan and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Michigan labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.