Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Columbus, IN

Each occupation's median wage in Columbus, IN compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Columbus, IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Columbus, IN run 7.0% below the national average (2024), so a Columbus, IN salary is worth about 1.08× 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, IN

OccupationMedian, Columbus, IN · vs. national

1Physicians, All Other$369,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$154,400 – $494,090+38.9%
2Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$85,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,400 – $97,070+34.7%
3Electricians$79,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,880 – $92,210+26.1%
4Mechanical Engineers$127,700
Bachelor's degree
$86,480 – $162,370+22.7%
5Logisticians$100,720
Bachelor's degree
$64,360 – $130,090+22.4%
6Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$126,110
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $159,130+20.2%
7Painters, Construction and Maintenance$58,560
No formal educational credential
$39,940 – $75,520+18.5%
8Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$58,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,090 – $75,050+17.9%
9Administrative Services Managers$134,150
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $211,640+17.5%
10Construction Laborers$53,900
No formal educational credential
$36,370 – $64,860+14.4%
11Carpenters$67,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,340 – $82,970+11.9%
12Tool and Die Makers$71,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,440 – $92,940+11.1%
13Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$55,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,450 – $82,130+10.9%
14Machine Feeders and Offbearers$45,700
No formal educational credential
$35,860 – $49,770+10.9%
15Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,460
Associate's degree
$38,640 – $123,010+10.7%
16Management Analysts$111,090
Bachelor's degree
$57,930 – $168,980+9.1%
17Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,890 – $90,930+8.6%
18Helpers--Production Workers$42,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $46,060+8.0%
19Roofers$59,400
No formal educational credential
$39,330 – $83,680+7.1%
20General and Operations Managers$112,760
Bachelor's degree
$59,090 – $241,960+6.6%
21Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,410 – $59,900+6.2%
22Architectural and Engineering Managers$180,830
Bachelor's degree
$129,530 – $211,950+5.6%
23Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,240 – $59,660+5.2%
24Sheet Metal Workers$65,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,580 – $90,110+5.2%
25Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$59,660
No formal educational credential
$38,940 – $78,680+4.6%
26Machinists$61,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,640 – $74,720+4.2%
27Managers, All Other$147,910
Bachelor's degree
$50,130 – $209,270+4.2%
28Automotive Body and Related Repairers$57,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,160 – $97,040+3.8%
29Facilities Managers$110,720
Bachelor's degree
$81,190 – $196,820+3.8%
30Real Estate Brokers$75,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,920 – $138,080+3.7%
31Industrial Production Managers$130,490
Bachelor's degree
$79,550 – $221,980+3.5%
32Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,790 – $57,510+3.3%
33Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$44,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,300 – $48,350+3.2%
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$85,460
Bachelor's degree
$43,280 – $122,720+2.9%
35Cost Estimators$80,800
Bachelor's degree
$50,880 – $100,390+2.6%
36Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,880
No formal educational credential
$28,430 – $44,740+1.7%
37First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,520 – $94,760+1.6%
38Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$46,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,810 – $54,250+1.5%
39Office Clerks, General$45,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,440 – $62,030+1.4%
40Maintenance Workers, Machinery$61,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,590 – $61,530+1.1%
41Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $75,860+0.9%
42Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,910 – $91,010+0.9%
43Food Service Managers$69,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,640 – $98,690+0.6%
44First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,240 – $62,650+0.4%
45Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,890 – $60,090+0.3%
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,550
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,0400.0%
47Marketing Managers$166,610
Bachelor's degree
$98,590 – $196,340-0.1%
48Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,610 – $50,980-0.5%
49Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$38,900
No formal educational credential
$27,360 – $48,230-0.6%
50Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$44,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,720 – $57,400-1.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbus, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$369,300	$154,400 – $494,090	+38.9%
2	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,930	$49,400 – $97,070	+34.7%
3	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,670	$44,880 – $92,210	+26.1%
4	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,700	$86,480 – $162,370	+22.7%
5	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$100,720	$64,360 – $130,090	+22.4%
6	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$126,110	$63,910 – $159,130	+20.2%
7	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$58,560	$39,940 – $75,520	+18.5%
8	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,450	$36,090 – $75,050	+17.9%
9	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,150	$74,990 – $211,640	+17.5%
10	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$53,900	$36,370 – $64,860	+14.4%
11	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,780	$47,340 – $82,970	+11.9%
12	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,180	$43,440 – $92,940	+11.1%
13	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,820	$39,450 – $82,130	+10.9%
14	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$45,700	$35,860 – $49,770	+10.9%
15	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,460	$38,640 – $123,010	+10.7%
16	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$111,090	$57,930 – $168,980	+9.1%
17	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,970	$45,890 – $90,930	+8.6%
18	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,210	$37,180 – $46,060	+8.0%
19	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$59,400	$39,330 – $83,680	+7.1%
20	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,760	$59,090 – $241,960	+6.6%
21	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,060	$39,410 – $59,900	+6.2%
22	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$180,830	$129,530 – $211,950	+5.6%
23	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,950	$36,240 – $59,660	+5.2%
24	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,010	$43,580 – $90,110	+5.2%
25	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$59,660	$38,940 – $78,680	+4.6%
26	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,230	$48,640 – $74,720	+4.2%
27	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$147,910	$50,130 – $209,270	+4.2%
28	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,000	$41,160 – $97,040	+3.8%
29	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$110,720	$81,190 – $196,820	+3.8%
30	Real Estate BrokersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,920	$28,920 – $138,080	+3.7%
31	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$130,490	$79,550 – $221,980	+3.5%
32	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,880	$34,790 – $57,510	+3.3%
33	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,620	$34,300 – $48,350	+3.2%
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$85,460	$43,280 – $122,720	+2.9%
35	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$80,800	$50,880 – $100,390	+2.6%
36	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,880	$28,430 – $44,740	+1.7%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,640	$48,520 – $94,760	+1.6%
38	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,600	$35,810 – $54,250	+1.5%
39	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,620	$30,440 – $62,030	+1.4%
40	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,530	$47,590 – $61,530	+1.1%
41	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,030	$35,900 – $75,860	+0.9%
42	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$45,910 – $91,010	+0.9%
43	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,800	$49,640 – $98,690	+0.6%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,250	$31,240 – $62,650	+0.4%
45	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,320	$34,890 – $60,090	+0.3%
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$60,550	$42,390 – $81,040	0.0%
47	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$166,610	$98,590 – $196,340	-0.1%
48	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,200	$30,610 – $50,980	-0.5%
49	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$38,900	$27,360 – $48,230	-0.6%
50	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,780	$36,720 – $57,400	-1.1%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Columbus, IN

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