Cost of hiring in the East Georgia nonmetro area
BLS counts about 6,290 people in these 16 roles in the East Georgia nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($83,200 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($30,810), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 930 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the East Georgia nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | -6.6% | 80 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -12.3% | 50 | |
| Accountant | -13.0% | 520 | |
| Bookkeeper | -14.0% | 710 | |
| Office Manager | -16.1% | 690 | |
| Executive Assistant | -18.1% | 180 | |
| Project Coordinator | -18.7% | 160 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -18.9% | 420 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -19.0% | 670 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -19.7% | 930 | |
| HR Assistant | -20.6% | 60 | |
| Paralegal | -22.5% | 140 | |
| Recruiter | -24.7% | 340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -26.5% | 920 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -27.0% | 160 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -31.2% | 260 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $35,950 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $46,387 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the East Georgia nonmetro area against the US
The East Georgia nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for payroll specialists (-6.6%) and data entry specialists (-12.3%) and largest for sales development representatives (-31.2%). The middle gap across all 16 is -19.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for payroll specialists, #231 of 486 areas by median pay; its lowest is for administrative assistants, #516 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the East Georgia nonmetro area has more medical administrative assistants (10.7% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and HR assistants (1.0% against 0.6%), and fewer project coordinators (2.5% against 6.8%) and marketing specialists (2.5% against 5.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY is nearest, at -18.9%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | -18.7% | 16 | 14,680 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -18.9% | 16 | 12,600 |
| East Georgia (Nonmetro) | -19.0% (this area) | 16 | 6,290 |
| Jacksonville, NC | -19.2% | 16 | 5,050 |
| El Paso, TX | -19.3% | 17 | 37,770 |
| Beckley, WV | -19.3% | 14 | 3,140 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the East Georgia nonmetro area span $34,770–$121,370, the widest band (3.5×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $30,390–$54,170. 8 of 16 bands are wider than the US ones, so where an offer sits matters more here; data entry specialists most ($31,200–$58,790 nationally). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, recruiters and 4 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($61,420 against a $48,120 median for sales development representatives).
the East Georgia nonmetro area against Georgia (US state)
Against Georgia (US state) as a whole, the East Georgia nonmetro area pays less for every one of the 16 roles with a statewide figure. It comes closest for executive assistants (-8.1%) and is furthest below for sales development representatives (-36.1%). It has the lowest median in Georgia (US state) for sales development representatives and administrative assistants.
Other areas in Georgia
By jobs in these roles, the East Georgia nonmetro area is #11 of 18 areas in Georgia. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Columbus to Brunswick-St. Simons.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus, GA-AL | 11,380 | 17 |
| Middle Georgia (Nonmetro) | 10,290 | 17 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | 8,500 | 16 |
| Gainesville, GA | 8,420 | 17 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 7,860 | 15 |
| Dalton, GA | 5,620 | 17 |
| Albany, GA | 5,610 | 15 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 5,090 | 15 |
| Valdosta, GA | 4,420 | 15 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | 3,760 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the East Georgia nonmetro area?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $83,200 a year, about $107,355 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,810.
Is hiring in the East Georgia nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for sales development representatives (-31.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.