Average Salaries in Columbus, IN
Explore salaries across 190 occupations in Columbus, IN. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $64.3K, -2.3% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 190 occupations and 42,210 total jobs in Columbus, IN.
How the metro compares
Wages in Columbus, IN track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Columbus, IN is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Columbus, IN
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Columbus, IN
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $369.3K | 130 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $180.8K | 310 |
| Marketing Managers | $166.6K | 40 |
| Managers, All Other | $147.9K | 40 |
| Financial Managers | $143.6K | 180 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $139.4K | 90 |
| Pharmacists | $137.3K | 50 |
| Administrative Services Managers | $134.2K | 80 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $130.5K | 360 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $127.7K | 1,000 |
Largest occupations in Columbus, IN
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers And Fabricators | 2,980 | $47K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,500 | $29.8K |
| Machinists | 1,470 | $61.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,440 | $28.3K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 1,310 | $38.5K |
| Mechanical Engineers | 1,000 | $127.7K |
| Industrial Engineers | 910 | $97.5K |
| Cashiers | 900 | $29.3K |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, And Weighers | 900 | $49K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 810 | $32.1K |
What Columbus, IN specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Columbus, IN than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Columbus, IN
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Forging Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 50.32 | $52.1K |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 39.89 | $34.7K |
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 22.67 | $38.3K |
| Machinists | 15.95 | $61.2K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 11.26 | $48.6K |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 10.92 | $47.3K |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 10.84 | $82.5K |
| Mechanical Engineers | 10.52 | $127.7K |
| Tool And Die Makers | 9.65 | $71.2K |
| Industrial Engineers | 7.76 | $97.5K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Columbus, IN
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.