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What does a Air Traffic Controllers salary really buy you in Michigan?
Michigan is 6.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Michigan's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 93.4, meaning prices are 6.6% lower the national average. A Air Traffic Controllers earning $118,930 in Michigan has the equivalent purchasing power of $127,334 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Michigan's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $80,430 | $86,113 | +$5,683 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $99,610 | $106,648 | +$7,038 |
| Median (P50) | $118,930 | $127,334 | +$8,404 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $178,590 | $191,209 | +$12,619 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $205,380 | $219,892 | +$14,512 |
A Air Traffic Controllers in Michigan earns $118,930 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 7% further — like earning $127,334 in an average-cost state. This makes Michigan one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 93.4, Michigan is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Air Traffic Controllers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying Michigan's RPP, the $118,930 median salary translates to $127,334 in real terms — a 7.1% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Air Traffic Controllers.
Michigan's rank of #26 of 43 states means real purchasing power for Air Traffic Controllers trails the national half-way line.
Where does Air Traffic Controllers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Michigan ranks #26 out of 43 states for Air Traffic Controllers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Air Traffic Controllers take-home pay in Michigan after taxes →
A Air Traffic Controllers in Michigan earns a median salary of $118,930 per year. After adjusting for Michigan's cost of living (RPP=93.4), the real purchasing power is $127,334 — a +7.1% difference.
Michigan's cost of living is 6.6% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Michigan is 93.4 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Air Traffic Controllers in Michigan: $118,930 x (100 / 93.4) = $127,334. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Air Traffic Controllers in Michigan enjoys 7.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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