Office Manager salary in Columbus, GA-AL
Hiring an office manager costs less in Columbus than in Georgia or the country as a whole. The median is $59,290 a year1: 8.2% below the Georgia statewide median of $64,620 and 14.7% below the US median of $69,500. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#399 of 519). BLS counts about 1,020 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Columbus, GA-AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, GA-AL | $40,580 | $59,290 | $85,090 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $43,930 | $64,620 | $101,900 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
Office managers at the 90th percentile earn $85,090, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of office managers in Columbus earns $47,410–$72,600. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $25,190 wide, against $29,460 across Georgia and $29,140 nationally: employers in Columbus 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 | $40,580 | $3,382 | $19.51 | $52,361 |
| 25th percentile | $47,410 | $3,951 | $22.79 | $61,174 |
| Median | $59,290 | $4,941 | $28.50 | $76,503 |
| 75th percentile | $72,600 | $6,050 | $34.90 | $93,677 |
| 90th percentile | $85,090 | $7,091 | $40.91 | $109,794 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,310 a year in pay and about $17,174 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,880 in pay. 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 Columbus, and the Georgia statewide median of $64,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
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 $17,213 to the $59,290 median and brings it to $76,503 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 Columbus
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($60,560) and payroll specialists ($54,580). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,470.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +6.3% | 240 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.1% | 660 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 1,020 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.9% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | -11.8% | 220 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (-14.7%), between recruiters (-13.7%) and bookkeepers (-15.5%). The typical role here is at -14.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 9.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 8.3% across Georgia and 9.1% 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 6 areas in Georgia with more office managers than Columbus, 2 pay less: the South Georgia nonmetro area ($56,760) and the Middle Georgia nonmetro area ($58,640).
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +1.8% | 780 | |
| North Georgia (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 1,480 | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.3% | 140 | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | this area | 1,020 | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.2% | 650 | |
| Middle Georgia (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,100 | |
| Albany, GA | -1.1% | 540 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #233 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, Lexington-Fayette and Sherman-Denison pay just above Columbus and Bay City and Ocala just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +20.4% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +7.5% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +0.0% | 480 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +0.0% | 3,090 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | this area | 1,020 | ||
| Bay City, MI | -0.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | -0.1% | 950 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | -13.1% | 1,030 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Columbus, GA-AL?
About $76,503 a year at the median, or $6,375 a month: $59,290 in pay plus about $17,213 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Columbus?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $59,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,580, the 90th $85,090, and the middle half earned $47,410 to $72,600.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Georgia for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,290 against $64,620 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is Hinesville at $59,440, the next down Athens-Clarke County at $59,200.
How many office managers work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 1,020 in the May 2025 survey. 6 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is the Middle Georgia nonmetro area, with about 1,100.
Does an office manager cost more than a payroll specialist in Columbus?
Yes: $4,710 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,290 and $54,580.
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.