High paying jobs in Columbus, OH

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Columbus, OH. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Columbus, OH run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Columbus, OH salary is worth about 1.05× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Columbus, OH

OccupationMedian, Columbus, OH · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$231,810
Master's degree
$221,440 – $373,700450
2Physicians, All Other$214,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$70,830 – $465,1303,830
3Obstetricians and Gynecologists$179,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,160 – $181,520490
4Commercial Pilots$175,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,300 – $216,2701,410
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,630
Bachelor's degree
$105,720 – $270,4504,330
6Dentists, General$166,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,100 – $306,960780
7Chief Executives$162,910
Bachelor's degree
$90,330 – $433,1501,160
8Financial Managers$145,630
Bachelor's degree
$91,210 – $267,0505,750
9Purchasing Managers$141,490
Bachelor's degree
$93,360 – $221,230560
10Sales Managers$138,580
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $254,1504,460
11Lawyers$137,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,510 – $235,1504,960
12Physician Assistants$137,550
Master's degree
$97,820 – $212,2201,140
13Database Architects$135,840
Bachelor's degree
$97,800 – $175,570470
14Marketing Managers$134,420
Bachelor's degree
$82,950 – $224,4402,330
15Pharmacists$133,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,450 – $166,6202,610
16Managers, All Other$131,580
Bachelor's degree
$67,970 – $216,7201,680
17Computer Network Architects$131,260
Bachelor's degree
$85,410 – $180,7901,270
18Human Resources Managers$131,100
Bachelor's degree
$89,150 – $220,8901,870
19Computer Occupations, All Other$129,940
Bachelor's degree
$60,150 – $162,9302,410
20Nurse Practitioners$124,580
Master's degree
$99,960 – $150,2503,140
21Veterinarians$123,270
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,990 – $208,390850
22Information Security Analysts$122,600
Bachelor's degree
$75,820 – $174,6701,650
23Software Developers$122,340
Bachelor's degree
$80,130 – $170,0009,880
24First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$121,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,080 – $154,800960
25Industrial Production Managers$112,020
Bachelor's degree
$72,050 – $174,6601,860
26Family Medicine Physicians$111,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,790 – $317,130420
27Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$110,970
Bachelor's degree
$77,860 – $159,120390
28Data Scientists$107,950
Bachelor's degree
$63,530 – $169,3801,480
29Medical and Health Services Managers$107,520
Bachelor's degree
$71,400 – $212,6205,370
30Computer Systems Analysts$107,230
Bachelor's degree
$67,160 – $154,6604,660
31Network and Computer Systems Administrators$105,750
Bachelor's degree
$65,780 – $143,7803,970
32Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$105,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,110 – $186,8002,060
33Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$105,260
Bachelor's degree
$52,590 – $203,5201,370
34Construction Managers$105,200
Bachelor's degree
$74,800 – $165,7704,000
35Physical Therapists$105,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,060 – $124,1102,030
36Operations Research Analysts$104,970
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $135,500670
37Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$104,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$39,560 – $160,300510
38Administrative Services Managers$104,050
Bachelor's degree
$64,240 – $187,4801,930
39Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$103,110
Bachelor's degree
$64,490 – $134,950780
40General and Operations Managers$102,590
Bachelor's degree
$50,440 – $221,27029,070
41Electrical Engineers$102,380
Bachelor's degree
$75,590 – $150,1601,100
42Database Administrators$101,450
Bachelor's degree
$52,980 – $144,430430
43Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$101,000
Master's degree
$61,880 – $131,0102,140
44Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$100,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,450 – $111,4205,190
45Mechanical Engineers$100,730
Bachelor's degree
$71,870 – $131,3902,630
46Education Administrators, Postsecondary$100,600
Master's degree
$62,900 – $211,4701,370
47Industrial Engineers$100,570
Bachelor's degree
$77,000 – $135,0803,710
48Financial Risk Specialists$100,350
Bachelor's degree
$67,500 – $164,950630
49Engineers, All Other$99,180
Bachelor's degree
$63,980 – $137,690990
50Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,140
Bachelor's degree
$62,220 – $167,110960

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianColumbus, OH	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$231,810	$221,440 – $373,700	450
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$214,760	$70,830 – $465,130	3,830
3	Obstetricians and GynecologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$179,810	$102,160 – $181,520	490
4	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$175,690	$60,300 – $216,270	1,410
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,630	$105,720 – $270,450	4,330
6	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$166,180	$64,100 – $306,960	780
7	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$162,910	$90,330 – $433,150	1,160
8	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$145,630	$91,210 – $267,050	5,750
9	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$141,490	$93,360 – $221,230	560
10	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,580	$77,750 – $254,150	4,460
11	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$137,810	$79,510 – $235,150	4,960
12	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$137,550	$97,820 – $212,220	1,140
13	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$135,840	$97,800 – $175,570	470
14	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,420	$82,950 – $224,440	2,330
15	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,960	$50,450 – $166,620	2,610
16	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$131,580	$67,970 – $216,720	1,680
17	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$131,260	$85,410 – $180,790	1,270
18	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,100	$89,150 – $220,890	1,870
19	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$129,940	$60,150 – $162,930	2,410
20	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,580	$99,960 – $150,250	3,140
21	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$123,270	$47,990 – $208,390	850
22	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$122,600	$75,820 – $174,670	1,650
23	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$122,340	$80,130 – $170,000	9,880
24	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,750	$67,080 – $154,800	960
25	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,020	$72,050 – $174,660	1,860
26	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$111,400	$67,790 – $317,130	420
27	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$110,970	$77,860 – $159,120	390
28	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$107,950	$63,530 – $169,380	1,480
29	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,520	$71,400 – $212,620	5,370
30	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$107,230	$67,160 – $154,660	4,660
31	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$105,750	$65,780 – $143,780	3,970
32	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,360	$64,110 – $186,800	2,060
33	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$105,260	$52,590 – $203,520	1,370
34	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,200	$74,800 – $165,770	4,000
35	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,130	$79,060 – $124,110	2,030
36	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,970	$52,000 – $135,500	670
37	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$104,370	$39,560 – $160,300	510
38	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$104,050	$64,240 – $187,480	1,930
39	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$103,110	$64,490 – $134,950	780
40	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,590	$50,440 – $221,270	29,070
41	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,380	$75,590 – $150,160	1,100
42	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,450	$52,980 – $144,430	430
43	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$101,000	$61,880 – $131,010	2,140
44	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,890	$60,450 – $111,420	5,190
45	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,730	$71,870 – $131,390	2,630
46	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$100,600	$62,900 – $211,470	1,370
47	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,570	$77,000 – $135,080	3,710
48	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,350	$67,500 – $164,950	630
49	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,180	$63,980 – $137,690	990
50	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$99,140	$62,220 – $167,110	960

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Columbus, OH. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Columbus, OH

Other metro areas in OH

By field in Columbus, OH

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Columbus, OH to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Columbus, OH

More for Columbus, OH

Other metro areas in OH

By field in Columbus, OH

Without a degree

By state