Highest-paying jobs in Columbus

Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Columbus, GA-AL, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2019.

In Columbus, the annual mean wage is $43,400 or 18.9% lower than national mean of $53,490, while the highest-paying occupation makes $247,540. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

1 / 50

#50. Architects, except landscape and naval

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $72,350
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,560
- Employment: 105,850
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($123,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,550)
--- Lubbock, TX ($116,720)

2 / 50

#49. Network and computer systems administrators

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $72,650
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $88,410
- Employment: 354,450
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,440)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($112,910)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($109,790)

3 / 50

#48. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $72,660
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,950
- Employment: 121,340
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($189,800)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($180,940)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($178,670)

4 / 50

#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $73,970
- #222 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,980
- Employment: 306,980
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($136,780)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($128,380)
--- Casper, WY ($125,850)

5 / 50

#46. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $75,030
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,810
- Employment: 25,860
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($124,110)
--- Albuquerque, NM ($122,020)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($121,620)

6 / 50

#45. Physician assistants

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $77,170
- #306 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $112,410
- Employment: 120,090
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($161,370)
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
--- Waterbury, CT ($154,550)

7 / 50

#44. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $78,110
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,450
- Employment: 113,270
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($136,390)
--- Jefferson City, MO ($118,920)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($117,960)

8 / 50

#43. Civil engineers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $78,500
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,360
- Employment: 310,850
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,110)
--- Midland, TX ($117,900)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($117,200)

9 / 50

#42. Management analysts

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $79,190
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,560
- Employment: 709,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($132,090)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($127,750)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($127,570)

10 / 50

#41. Industrial engineers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $79,280
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,660
- Employment: 291,710
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,850)
--- Billings, MT ($124,350)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,940)

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Columbus, Georgia October 2025

11 / 50

12 / 50

#39. Logisticians

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $79,740
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,680
- Employment: 182,050
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lake Charles, LA ($124,160)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($106,490)
--- Anchorage, AK ($100,690)

13 / 50

#38. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $82,470
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,960
- Employment: 111,660
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Redding, CA ($116,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($111,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,670)

14 / 50

#37. Web developers and digital interface designers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $83,250
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
- Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($138,600)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($110,790)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,250)

15 / 50

#36. Occupational health and safety specialists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $84,250
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $76,290
- Employment: 92,780
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($108,230)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($99,020)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($97,560)

You may also like: Columbus, Georgia 7-day weather forecast

16 / 50

#35. Construction managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $87,070
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,000
- Employment: 293,380
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($160,500)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($148,140)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($146,820)

17 / 50

#34. Computer programmers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $87,280
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,610
- Employment: 199,540
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,400)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,990)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($113,760)

18 / 50

#33. Training and development managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $87,510
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $123,470
- Employment: 38,510
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,900)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,850)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,380)

19 / 50

#32. Occupational therapists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $87,780
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,210
- Employment: 133,570
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,090)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)

20 / 50

#31. General and operations managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $87,970
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,880

National
- Annual mean salary: $123,030
- Employment: 2,400,280
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($189,060)
--- Trenton, NJ ($173,050)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,160)

21 / 50

#30. Medical and health services managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $89,110
- #333 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,160
- Employment: 394,910
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($163,280)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($159,190)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,570)

22 / 50

#29. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $90,160
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,320
- Employment: 132,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($151,260)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,220)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($139,860)

23 / 50

#28. Information security analysts

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $90,580
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $104,210
- Employment: 125,570
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($127,850)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($122,570)

24 / 50

#27. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $91,490
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $100,340
- Employment: 271,020
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($150,080)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($143,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,820)

25 / 50

#26. Computer systems analysts

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $91,870
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,160
- Employment: 589,060
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($121,300)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($119,540)

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in Columbus, Georgia

26 / 50

#25. Mechanical engineers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $93,290
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $93,540
- Employment: 306,990
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($125,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($123,270)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($120,950)

27 / 50

#24. Sales engineers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $96,020
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $112,780
- Employment: 63,550
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($158,150)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($156,600)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($153,860)

28 / 50

#23. Physical therapists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $97,160
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $90,170
- Employment: 233,350
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)

29 / 50

#22. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $98,320
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 830

National
- Annual mean salary: $111,620
- Employment: 1,406,870
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($145,730)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($145,250)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($134,090)

30 / 50

#21. Database administrators and architects

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $99,910
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,110
- Employment: 125,460
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,580)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($116,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($114,960)

31 / 50

#20. Speech-language pathologists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $101,800
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,000
- Employment: 154,360
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
--- Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
--- Chico, CA ($104,640)

32 / 50

#19. Electronics engineers, except computer

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $102,260
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $110,210
- Employment: 128,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,660)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($132,600)
--- Austin-Round Rock, TX ($130,890)

33 / 50

#18. Electrical engineers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $103,840
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $103,480
- Employment: 185,570
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,450)
--- Salinas, CA ($129,850)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($128,080)

34 / 50

#17. Purchasing managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $106,240
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $128,400
- Employment: 72,100
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($171,560)
--- Morgantown, WV ($163,830)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($160,620)

35 / 50

#16. Industrial production managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $109,370
- #185 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,110
- Employment: 185,790
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Florence, SC ($158,000)
--- Boulder, CO ($149,990)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($149,500)

36 / 50

#15. Veterinarians

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $111,380
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $104,820
- Employment: 74,540
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sherman-Denison, TX ($210,960)
--- Lubbock, TX ($176,730)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($161,230)

37 / 50

#14. Nurse practitioners

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $111,980
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $111,840
- Employment: 200,600
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)

38 / 50

#13. Human resources managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $112,820
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $129,570
- Employment: 154,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($196,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($174,390)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($170,070)

39 / 50

#12. Computer network architects

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $115,330
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,110
- Employment: 152,420
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,400)
--- Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($151,650)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,100)

40 / 50

#11. Lawyers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $118,890
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $145,300
- Employment: 657,170
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($218,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,910)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($179,590)

41 / 50

#10. Pediatricians, general

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $122,870
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $184,410
- Employment: 29,740
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Rockford, IL ($277,390)
--- Killeen-Temple, TX ($273,770)
--- Chico, CA ($270,550)

42 / 50

#9. Marketing managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $125,820
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $149,200
- Employment: 263,680
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($199,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($188,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($183,460)

43 / 50

#8. Pharmacists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $129,900
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,510
- Employment: 311,200
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Tyler, TX ($161,790)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)

44 / 50

#7. Financial managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $130,510
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $147,530
- Employment: 654,790
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($208,770)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($203,430)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($182,190)

45 / 50

#6. Sales managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $131,470
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $141,690
- Employment: 402,600
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($195,220)
--- Trenton, NJ ($178,020)
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($175,500)

46 / 50

#5. Architectural and engineering managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $135,150
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $152,930
- Employment: 194,250
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($203,310)
--- Amarillo, TX ($198,010)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($188,210)

47 / 50

#4. Dentists, general

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $138,600
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $178,260
- Employment: 110,730
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Burlington, NC ($278,360)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
--- Longview, TX ($272,440)

48 / 50

#3. Computer and information systems managers

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $157,260
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $156,390
- Employment: 433,960
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($215,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,960)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($196,290)

49 / 50

#2. Chief executives

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $167,530
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $193,850
- Employment: 205,890
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($270,040)
--- Sioux Falls, SD ($264,330)
--- Midland, TX ($258,760)

50 / 50

#1. Nurse anesthetists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $247,540
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $181,040
- Employment: 43,570
- Entry level education requirements: Master's degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Toledo, OH ($266,260)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($254,860)
--- Columbus, GA-AL ($247,540)