Highest-paying jobs in Columbus

Written by:
March 12, 2021
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Highest-paying jobs in Columbus

collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Columbus, GA-AL, using data from the . 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.

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($123,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,550)
--- Lubbock, TX ($116,720)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($136,780)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($128,380)
--- Casper, WY ($125,850)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salinas, CA ($161,370)
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
--- Waterbury, CT ($154,550)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,110)
--- Midland, TX ($117,900)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($117,200)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Dothan, AL ($132,090)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($127,750)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($127,570)

#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)

#40. Computer network support specialists

Columbus, GA-AL
- Annual mean salary: $79,560
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
- Entry level education requirements: Associate鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($94,420)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($90,050)
--- Greeley, CO ($88,310)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lake Charles, LA ($124,160)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($106,490)
--- Anchorage, AK ($100,690)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- The Villages, FL ($115,090)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($163,280)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($159,190)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,570)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($150,080)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($143,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,820)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
--- Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
--- Chico, CA ($104,640)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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)

#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鈥檚 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)

#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鈥檚 degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($270,040)
--- Sioux Falls, SD ($264,330)
--- Midland, TX ($258,760)

#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)

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