Office Manager salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA
Hiring an office manager costs less in Athens-Clarke County than in Georgia or the country as a whole. The median is $59,200 a year1: 8.4% below the Georgia statewide median of $64,620 and 14.8% below the US median of $69,500. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#402 of 519). About 650 office managers work here, 2% of the Georgia total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Athens-Clarke County, GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Athens-Clarke County against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $38,550 | $59,200 | $89,760 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $43,930 | $64,620 | $101,900 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Athens-Clarke County earns $47,840–$74,920. The top tenth earns $89,760 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. The mean ($63,950) is 8% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $27,080 wide, against $29,460 across Georgia and $29,140 nationally: employers in Athens-Clarke County pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,550 | $3,212 | $18.53 | $49,742 |
| 25th percentile | $47,840 | $3,987 | $23.00 | $61,729 |
| Median | $59,200 | $4,933 | $28.46 | $76,387 |
| 75th percentile | $74,920 | $6,243 | $36.02 | $96,671 |
| 90th percentile | $89,760 | $7,480 | $43.15 | $115,819 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,360 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,720, or about $20,284 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Athens-Clarke County, and the Georgia statewide median of $64,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Athens-Clarke County
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,187 to the $59,200 median and brings it to $76,387 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Athens-Clarke County
Of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($65,810) and recruiters ($57,330). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,430.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +17.3% | 250 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +11.2% | 420 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 650 | |
| Recruiter | -3.2% | 420 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -10.6% | 80 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County (-14.8%), between HR assistants (-13.4%) and marketing specialists (-16.4%). The typical role here is at -16.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Athens-Clarke County, 8.4% across Georgia and 9.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 17 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $53,630 in Valdosta to $69,990 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, a gap of $16,360 a year. Of the 10 areas in Georgia with more office managers than Athens-Clarke County, 3 pay less: the South Georgia nonmetro area ($56,760), the Middle Georgia nonmetro area ($58,640) and the East Georgia nonmetro area ($58,290).
| Area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Georgia (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 1,480 | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.4% | 140 | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | +0.2% | 1,020 | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 650 | |
| Middle Georgia (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 1,100 | |
| Albany, GA | -1.0% | 540 | |
| East Georgia (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 690 |
Athens-Clarke County against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Athens-Clarke County is #340 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Georgia, Ocala and Bay City pay just above Athens-Clarke County and Cleveland and Rocky Mount just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Athens-Clarke County. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +15.4% | 650 | jobs | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +3.5% | 650 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.2% | 660 | jobs | |
| Bay City, MI | +0.0% | 180 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | +0.0% | 950 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 650 | ||
| Cleveland, TN | -0.0% | 600 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -0.1% | 340 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
About $76,387 a year at the median, or $6,366 a month: $59,200 in pay plus about $17,187 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in Athens-Clarke County?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $59,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,550, the 90th $89,760, and the middle half earned $47,840 to $74,920.
Is Athens-Clarke County cheaper than the rest of Georgia for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,200 against $64,620 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is Columbus at $59,290, the next down the Middle Georgia nonmetro area at $58,640.
How many office managers work in Athens-Clarke County?
BLS counts about 650 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Georgia total of 42,630. 10 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is the East Georgia nonmetro area, with about 690.
Does an office manager cost more than a recruiter in Athens-Clarke County?
Yes: $1,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,200 and $57,330.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.