Office Manager salary in Columbus, OH
Columbus pays office managers more than Ohio as a whole but less than the country. The median is $66,970 a year1: 4.3% above the Ohio statewide median of $64,220 and 3.6% below the US median of $69,500. Among US areas it comes in at #142 of 519. With about 9,480 office managers, 21% of the Ohio total, no area in Ohio employs more.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Columbus, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $47,260 | $66,970 | $99,050 | |
| Ohio | $44,740 | $64,220 | $97,170 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Columbus earns $56,850–$80,230. The top tenth earns $99,050 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,380 wide, against $27,110 across Ohio 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 | $47,260 | $3,938 | $22.72 | $60,981 |
| 25th percentile | $56,850 | $4,738 | $27.33 | $73,355 |
| Median | $66,970 | $5,581 | $32.20 | $86,413 |
| 75th percentile | $80,230 | $6,686 | $38.57 | $103,523 |
| 90th percentile | $99,050 | $8,254 | $47.62 | $127,806 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,120 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,260, or about $17,110 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 Columbus, and the Ohio statewide median of $64,220 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
At the $66,970 median, a local hire costs about $86,413 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $19,443 here. 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 #6 by median pay, between recruiters ($75,440) and paralegals ($60,430). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,660.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +13.3% | 3,250 | |
| Recruiter | +12.6% | 7,740 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 9,480 | |
| Paralegal | -9.8% | 2,260 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.3% | 8,350 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (-3.6%), between project coordinators (-3.6%) and paralegals (-3.9%). The typical role here is at -0.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 8.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 8.8% across Ohio and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $57,510 in Mansfield to $69,880 in Cincinnati, a gap of $12,370 a year. No other area in Ohio has as many office managers, and 14 of the other 15 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +4.3% | 9,420 | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 9,480 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -3.5% | 8,590 | |
| Akron, OH | -3.5% | 2,660 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -3.7% | 2,820 | |
| Toledo, OH | -5.6% | 2,290 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -8.4% | 1,600 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #30 of 517 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Detroit-Warren and North Port-Bradenton pay just above Columbus and Kingston and Kansas City just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +15.5% | 9,190 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +7.3% | 9,820 | jobs | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +2.4% | 9,840 | jobs | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.2% | 2,870 | pay | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +0.1% | 13,480 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 9,480 | ||
| Kingston, NY | -0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -0.3% | 8,860 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Columbus, OH?
About $86,413 a year at the median, or $7,201 a month: $66,970 in pay plus about $19,443 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in Columbus?
The median was $66,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,260, the 90th $99,050, and the middle half earned $56,850 to $80,230.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Ohio for office managers?
No, it costs more: a median of $66,970 against $64,220 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $69,880, the next down Cleveland at $64,650.
How many office managers work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 9,480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Ohio total of 45,070. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does an office manager cost more than a paralegal in Columbus?
Yes: $6,540 a year more at the median. The medians are $66,970 and $60,430.
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.