May 14, 2026
In recognition of Apprenticeship Week from April 26 to May 2, the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics recently released its 2026 Registered Apprenticeships in Michigan Report. This report highlights statewide and regional trends from the 2025 Registered Apprenticeship fiscal year as well as an expanded analysis of wage outcomes. This article will highlight employment outcomes by Michigan Works! area.
There were more than 1,900 Registered Apprenticeship completers in 2024 who were employed one year post-completion. These completers had a median one-year-after wage of $89,260, an increase from $84,680 for the previous year’s completers.
The most recent five-year post-completion data comes from the 2020 completer cohort, which had 1,500 employed and a median one-year-after wage of $73,080. Notably, these outcomes are likely to have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 1,450 individuals earning wages five years post-completion with a median wage of $96,260.
Based on where Registered Apprenticeship programs are registered, SEMCA had the greatest median one-year-after wage at $165,790 among 2024 completers. The region also had a greater representation of higher-paying occupations such as Electrical power-line installers and repairers and Power distributors and dispatchers. This was followed by Southwest ($105,320), Northwest ($105,300), Great Lakes Bay ($103,210), and Southeast ($100,020).
Region 7B had the lowest median one-year-after wage at $59,570, most of which were Aircraft mechanics and service technicians. This was followed by the Upper Peninsula ($60,530), the Northeast Consortium ($66,570), and Berrien, Cass, Van Buren ($68,400). Notably, these wages were still well above the 2024 median wage in Michigan of $48,300.
All Michigan Works! regions had positive wage growth among 2020 completers. SEMCA increased from $121,260 one-year post-completion to $161,880 five years post-completion, the greatest gain among Michigan Works! regions. This was followed by Great Lakes Bay (+$29,110), DESC (+$28,520), and GST (+$26,560).
Three Michigan Works! regions had a median one-year-after wage greater than $100,000 based on the home address among 2024 completers. This included Southeast ($104,780), SEMCA ($101,380), and Capital Area ($100,630). West had a median one-year-after wage of $79,590.
There were significant wage increases among 2020 completers across most regions. Region 7B completers had a median one-year-after wage of $54,490 which increased to $90,980 five years post-completion. Both Northwest (+$31,600) and SEMCA (+$30,030) also observed gains greater than $30,000.
No Michigan Works! region had a median one-year-after wage greater than $100,000 among 2020 completers. However, six regions had a median five-years-after wage greater than $100,000 led by SEMCA at $117,610.
Median One-Year-After Wage Among 2024 Completers by Michigan Works! Area
Source: Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Data System (RAPIDS), Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of Labor; Michigan Center for Data and Analytics Analysis of Unemployment Insurance Wage Record Data
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