Columbus, IN
Across all occupations in the Columbus, IN metropolitan area, the median wage is $48,470 a year ($23.30 an hour) and the mean $61,800, May 2025. That median is −5% against the US median of $50,980 and +1% against Indiana's $47,860. BLS counts 49,820 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is physicians, all other; the largest is miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators.
All occupations: Columbus, IN vs Indiana and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| Columbus, IN | Hourly | $14.08 | $17.71 | $23.30 | $35.04 | $49.88 | $29.71 | 49,820 |
| Annual | $29,290 | $36,830 | $48,470 | $72,880 | $103,750 | $61,800 | ||
| Indiana | Hourly | $14.00 | $17.55 | $23.01 | $34.62 | $48.63 | $29.25 | 3,201,220 |
| Annual | $29,120 | $36,500 | $47,860 | $72,000 | $101,160 | $60,840 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
187 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: Indiana. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in Columbus, IN
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physicians, All Other | $369,300 | $177.55 | 130 |
| 2 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $180,830 | $86.94 | 310 |
| 3 | Marketing Managers | $166,610 | $80.10 | 40 |
| 4 | Managers, All Other in Indiana | $147,910 | $71.11 | 40 |
| 5 | Financial Managers in Indiana | $143,590 | $69.04 | 180 |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Indiana | $139,430 | $67.03 | 90 |
| 7 | Pharmacists | $137,330 | $66.02 | 50 |
| 8 | Administrative Services Managers | $134,150 | $64.50 | 80 |
| 9 | Industrial Production Managers | $130,490 | $62.74 | 360 |
| 10 | Mechanical Engineers | $127,700 | $61.40 | 1,000 |
| 11 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $126,110 | $60.63 | 60 |
| 12 | Nurse Practitioners | $125,780 | $60.47 | 170 |
| 13 | Physician Assistants | $124,460 | $59.84 | 60 |
| 14 | Human Resources Managers | $124,230 | $59.73 | 60 |
| 15 | Sales Managers in Indiana | $120,730 | $58.05 | 130 |
| 16 | General and Operations Managers in Indiana | $112,760 | $54.21 | 590 |
| 17 | Management Analysts in Indiana | $111,090 | $53.41 | 110 |
| 18 | Facilities Managers | $110,720 | $53.23 | 90 |
| 19 | Chemical Engineers | $109,190 | $52.49 | 40 |
| 20 | Lawyers in Indiana | $105,790 | $50.86 | 70 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in Columbus, IN
Most concentrated occupations in Columbus, IN
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 50.32 | 140 | 2.89 | $52,060 |
| 2 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 39.89 | 180 | 3.59 | $34,650 |
| 3 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 22.67 | 240 | 4.73 | $38,280 |
| 4 | Machinists | 15.95 | 1,470 | 29.45 | $61,230 |
| 5 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 11.26 | 610 | 12.27 | $48,590 |
| 6 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 10.92 | 440 | 8.75 | $47,320 |
| 7 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 10.84 | 130 | 2.52 | $82,460 |
| 8 | Mechanical Engineers | 10.52 | 1,000 | 20.08 | $127,700 |
| 9 | Tool and Die Makers | 9.65 | 180 | 3.53 | $71,180 |
| 10 | Industrial Engineers | 7.76 | 910 | 18.26 | $97,480 |
Occupation groups in Columbus, IN
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $124,870 | $136,640 | 2,630 | 52.83 | 0.74 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $103,890 | $110,300 | 2,580 | 51.74 | 3.07 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $98,000 | $94,990 | 930 | 18.69 | 0.55 |
| Legal | $77,660 | $108,170 | 130 | 2.69 | 0.32 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $77,330 | $81,470 | 2,350 | 47.09 | 0.69 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $77,030 | $111,980 | 2,510 | 50.31 | 0.80 |
| Construction and Extraction | $62,420 | $65,230 | 1,520 | 30.49 | 0.74 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $60,550 | $73,890 | 360 | 7.29 | 0.77 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $59,910 | $60,770 | 2,100 | 42.13 | 1.08 |
| Community and Social Service | $48,640 | $53,270 | 790 | 15.81 | 0.92 |
| Production | $48,580 | $51,730 | 11,650 | 233.81 | 4.24 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $48,030 | $52,510 | 2,170 | 43.53 | 0.74 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $46,920 | $54,030 | 280 | 5.57 | 0.42 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,350 | $47,500 | 4,470 | 89.65 | 0.79 |
| Protective Service | $43,510 | $49,420 | 780 | 15.58 | 0.64 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $39,940 | $43,030 | 4,060 | 81.57 | 0.93 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,270 | $38,990 | 1,710 | 34.25 | 0.67 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $35,730 | $37,310 | 850 | 17.13 | 0.59 |
| Sales and Related | $35,270 | $46,550 | 3,970 | 79.66 | 0.92 |
| Personal Care and Service | $29,680 | $33,120 | 470 | 9.52 | 0.45 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $28,890 | $30,960 | 3,510 | 70.47 | 0.80 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | – | – | – | – | – |
Every occupation in Indiana, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 187 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Columbus, IN estimates (area 18020).
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the Columbus, IN area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.