15 Highest Paid Public Employees In Michigan |2022

The common belief is that there are good reasons to work in the public sector, which encompasses job security, good retirement, and health care benefits. One reason that rarely makes a list is the chance to make life-changing money!

There are dozens of persons in Michigan who are paid seven-figure incomes by the government even though the wealthiest Americans have gained their fortunes through the private sector. 

In this article, we will take a look at 15 of the highest-paid public employees in Michigan.

What Benefits Do They Receive?

The highest-paid public employees in Michigan receive many benefits, including a pension, health insurance, and a 401k plan.

Pensions

Pensions are one of the enormous benefits that high-paid public employees receive. A pension is a retirement plan that an employer sponsors. 

It provides employees with a fixed income after they retire. In Michigan, the average pension benefit for a high-paid public employee is $26,000 per year.

Healthy insurance

Health insurance is another significant benefit that these employees receive. In Michigan, all public employees are eligible for health insurance through the state’s health insurance program. 

This program covers medical expenses, including doctor visits, prescription drugs, and hospital stays. 

The average cost of health insurance for a high-paid public employee in Michigan is $5,600 per year.

401k Plans

401k plans are also available to high-paid public employees in Michigan. A 401k plan is a retirement savings plan that allows employees to save money for retirement on a tax-deferred basis. 

This means that saving money using a 401k plan can grow over time without being taxed. 

In Michigan, the average contribution limit for a 401k plan is $18,000 per year.

Are they worth it?

The highest-paid public employees in Michigan are worth every penny. These individuals have dedicated their lives to public service and tremendously impacted the state.

The highest-paid public employees in Michigan include doctors, lawyers, and politicians. These individuals earn a high salary because they are in high demand and their services are essential to the state. Without them, Michigan would not be able to function effectively.

While some may argue that the high salaries of these public employees, it is important to remember that they are worth every penny, they deserve every compensation because they provide an essential service to the state.

What do they do?

Several public employees in Michigan make a very reasonable wage. Michigan’s highest-paid public employees include coaches, doctors, lawyers, and engineers.

Doctors who work for the government in Michigan earn an average salary of $174,000 per year. This is significantly higher than the average income for doctors in the private sector, which is $120,000 per year.

Lawyers who work for the government in Michigan earn an average salary of $131,000 per year. Their salaries are also higher than the average salary for lawyers in the private sector, which is $115,000 per year.

Engineers in Michigan earn an average salary of $122,000 per year. This is once again higher than the average income for engineers in the private sector, which is $105,000.

Overall, several public employees in Michigan make very decent wages. Coaches, doctors, lawyers, and executives are some of the highest-paid public employees in Michigan.

Who Are The Highest Paid Public Employees In Michigan?

Below is a list of the top 15 highest-paid public employees in Michigan, their occupations, annual salaries, and many more. 

Jim Harbaugh

Occupation – Football Coach

Annual Salary – $7.5 million

The first spot on our list of highest-paid public employees in Michigan is a Football Coach Jim Harbaugh.

He’s currently the coach of the team, where he earns millions yearly and is the highest-paid public employee in Michigan.

Related: 25 Least Stressful Jobs That Pay $5,000 or More Monthly 

Mark Dantonio

Occupation: Head Michigan State football coach

Annual salary: $6 million 

2nd highest-paid public employee in Michigan: Mark Dantonio

Justin Dantonio was born on March 9, 1956, in Newark. Mark is currently the head football coach at Michigan State University and has led the team to one of the most successful periods in the program’s history. 

Michigan State has won three Big Ten Conference championships in his tenure and eight games against archrival Michigan.

Tom Izzo

Occupation: MSU Basketball Coach

Annual salary: $4.5 million

3rd highest-paid public employee in Michigan: Tom Izzo

Tom Izzo is an American college basketball coach at MSU, he has served as the school’s head coach since 1995. He is truly an outstanding character and has led the university’s basketball team to many victories since his induction. 

Tom’s annual salary tops the list of Michigan state salaries.

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Tim Lester

Occupation: Western Michigan University football coach

Annual salary: $1,100,000

Tim Lester is the 4th highest-paid public employee in Michigan 

He is a coach for the American football team at Western Michigan University. 

Tim has been the head football coach for the Western Michigan University Broncos since the beginning of the 2017 football season. 

He is one of the top Michigan state employees with over $7 million net worth.

Mark Schlissel

Occupation: Former President, University of Michigan President

Annual Salary: $810,000.

Steven Schlissel is an American academic administrator and medical scientist, who recently served as the president of the University of Michigan. He is from the state of Michigan of California, Berkeley.

He began his tenure as the 14th president of the institution On July 1, 2014, following Mary’s retirement. Before that, he was Dean of Biological Sciences in the College of Letters at the University. 

According to recent data, the mark is the 5th highest-paid public employee in Michigan.

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Bill Beekman

Occupation: Vice President For Strategic Initiatives MSU

Annual Salary: $780,000

Bill Beekman is a former athletic director of MSU. Currently, he is now the vice president for strategic initiatives. This is a newly created job to assist in coordinating MSU’s efforts to implement its strategic plan. With a salary of $780,000, he is the 6th highest-paid public employee in Michigan.

Samuel Stanley Jr

Occupation: President Of Michigan State University

Annual Salary: $720,000

Samuel L. Stanley Jr is the current president of Michigan State University and an educator and scientific researcher. He was also the president of Stony Brook University before he took on the role of president at MSU earlier this year.

As president of one of the best universities in the US, it’s not a fluke that he is one of the top Michigan state employees.

Jon M Braeutigam

Occupation: Chief Investment Officer, State of Michigan

Annual Salary: $600,000

He is currently the Chief Investment Officer of Michigan, a position that is highly regarded in almost every state in the US because of the benefits that come with it.

He is one of the highest-paid public employees in Michigan, with an estimated net worth of $4 million.

Norman Beauchamp Jr.

Occupation: Executive Vice President for Health Sciences MSU

Annual Salary: $588,800

As executive vice president for health sciences, Norman J. Beauchamp Jr. is in charge of the College of Human Medicine, nursing, and Osteopathic Medicine. His most recent position was dean of the College of Human Medicine, which he held previously.

His salary ranks top 15 in the top 100 Michigan state salaries list. He is also among the highest-paid doctors in the US.

Related: 10 Highest Paid Entry-level Jobs in 2022 

Anthony Avellino 

Occupation: Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences and Chief Clinical and Medical Officer.

Annual Salary: $504,666

Dr. Anthony M. Avellino is a pediatric neurosurgeon and the medical director of pediatric neurosurgery at Valley Children’s Hospital, Michigan. He holds board certifications in both neurological surgery and pediatric neurological surgery.

Dr. Anthony has built his career around caring for young people and the families they come from. 

He has placed a purposeful emphasis on developing support systems that emphasize performance, health, wellbeing, and safety. 

He is the highest-paid public employee in Michigan in the healthcare sector.

Brackenbury Robert L

Occupation: Senior Dep Chief Investor

Annual salary: $500,000

Robert Brackenbury, senior deputy chief investment officer, is the executive branch’s second-highest paid public employee in Michigan, with an annual salary of over $400,000.

Jon Braeutigam

Occupation: Chief Investment Officer

Annual Salary: $500,000

Michigan State’s Senior Deputy Chief Investment Officer Jon Braeutigam makes more than half a million yearly. He is one of Michigan state’s top employees.

Related: 25 Least Stressful Jobs That Pay $5,000 or More Monthly 

In 2013 he was one of the investment personnel who obtained substantial pay raises, which the state argued would make the roles competitive with similar positions in other states.

Andrea Amalfitano

Occupation: College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean: 

Annual Salary: $383,160

Andrea Amalfitano is a Molecular Geneticist and the Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Professor of Pediatrics. Andrea is the 13th highest-paid public employee in Michigan.

Related: Who Are The 15 Highest Paid Plumbers In The World? | 2022 Review 

His study focuses on determining how to utilize gene transfer as a treatment for disease and then translating that knowledge into therapeutic applications.  

 Steve Arwood

Occupation: MEDC President & CEO

Annual Salary: $ 300,000

Steve Arwood is the CEO of Miller Canfield Consulting, a firm that focuses on bringing together the private and public sectors to create successful economic development projects, providing advisory services.

Since his inauguration as the CEO, he has used his expertise to develop economic strategies in partnership with the legal professionals at Miller Canfield. He is one of Michigan state’s top employees, with over $2 million net worth.

Related: Who is the Highest Paid YouTuber? | Top 10 Highest Paid YouTubers in 2022. 

Jennifer Nelson 

Occupation: Executive Vice President

Annual Salary: $250,000

Next up on our list of the highest-paid public employees in Michigan is Jennifer Nelson.

Before joining the team, Jen held several leadership positions at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). These positions included Chief Business Development Officer, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer.

Jen used to work as an attorney in the public finance corporate group at Dykema Gossett.

She graduated from Northern Michigan University in speech communication. She is currently worth over $3 million. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mark Dantonio still working for Michigan state university?

Of course, Dantonio’s thoughts are constantly focused on football. Three Big Ten championships and a trip to the College Football Playoff 13 years later, Michigan State’s winningest coach has stepped down at the end of the 2019 season. Still, he has remained in East Lansing and has worked for the university in various capacities.

Who is the University of Michigan employee who receives the highest compensation?

Jim Harbaugh, the head football coach at the University of Michigan, brought in $7.5 million in revenue in 2021, making him the highest-paid public employee in Michigan.

Which government worker receives the highest salary in Michigan?

 After going through the list above, it is clear what position within the public sector offers the highest compensation: President, University of Michigan.

Is it difficult to find work for the state of Michigan?

 Users of Glassdoor gave their experiences with the State of Michigan interview process an overall good rating of 68.0 percent, with a difficulty rating of 2.92 out of 5. This shows that while it’s easier to get jobs in some cities, it’s relatively hard in most cities of Michigan.

Final Thoughts

From university presidents to government officials, various public employees in Michigan make a pretty penny. The 15 highest-paid public employees in the state each earn an annual salary of over $200,000. If you’re looking to make a good salary in Michigan, working for the government or being a football coach might be a good option!

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