Thinking about a new career, or helping a teenager choose one? In Columbus, some jobs pay well above the local average, have hundreds or thousands of positions in the area, and are expected to keep growing.
We looked at the newest government data for the Columbus metro area. It covers Muscogee and surrounding counties in Georgia and Alabama. We ranked careers by two things that matter most to job seekers: pay and job availability.
First, the baseline
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 116,400 people worked in the Columbus metro area in May 2025. The median annual wage was $43,540, meaning half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average hourly wage was $26.51, below the national average of $33.54.
The Georgia Department of Labor projects that the Columbus area will add about 600 new jobs a year through 2032. The economy is anchored by health care, Fort Benning, finance and insurance, and education…