Physician Salary: Detroit, MI vs Seattle, WA
BLS reports this occupation as "Physicians, All Other" (29-1229); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Physicians in Detroit, MI and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Detroit, MI | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $68,220 | $330,560▲ | -$262,340 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,920 | $248,540▲ | -$183,620 |
| 75th Percentile | $211,370 | $383,880▲ | -$172,510 |
| 90th Percentile | $356,820 | $433,910▲ | -$77,090 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 100.3 | 111.1 | -10.8 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $68,017 | $297,445▲ | -$229,428 |
| Total Employment | 6,580 | 3,590 | +2,990 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $262,340 more (median: $68,220 vs $330,560). BEA's regional price parity is 100.3 in Detroit, MI and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $68,017 and $297,445, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Physician City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $262,340 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $68,017 for Detroit and $297,445 for Seattle, a difference of $229,428.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 6,580 Physician jobs in the Detroit area and 3,590 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our Michigan overview and the full Physician city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Physician salary higher in Detroit, MI or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Physicians ($330,560 per year, against $68,220 in Detroit, MI; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $68,017 in Detroit, MI and $297,445 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Detroit, MI and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 100.3 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 0.3% above the national level for Detroit, MI and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Physicians more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Physician wage is $297,445, against $68,017 for Detroit, MI. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.