Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Georgia

Each occupation's median wage in Georgia 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 Georgia pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Georgia run 3.7% below the national average (2024), so a Georgia salary is worth about 1.04× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Georgia.

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

Find high paying jobs in Georgia

OccupationMedian, Georgia · vs. national

1Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$618,090
Bachelor's degree
$187,570 – $642,610+166.3%
2General Internal Medicine Physicians$425,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,490 – $581,750+65.8%
3Health Education Specialists$99,400
Bachelor's degree
$51,800 – $153,630+55.1%
4Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$128,850
Bachelor's degree
$57,600 – $211,070+22.8%
5Dentists, General$206,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$93,590 – $373,420+20.9%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,760
Bachelor's degree
$58,570 – $98,450+18.8%
7Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$43,920
Associate's degree
$28,150 – $77,130+15.2%
8Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$123,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,920 – $207,890+15.0%
9Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$48,800
Bachelor's degree
$21,900 – $73,190+13.7%
10Architectural and Civil Drafters$74,940
Associate's degree
$46,530 – $108,610+13.3%
11Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$72,290
Bachelor's degree
$49,260 – $98,030+13.0%
12Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$76,750
Master's degree
$48,500 – $101,730+12.4%
13Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,880
Bachelor's degree
$49,510 – $98,750+11.9%
14Self-Enrichment Teachers$52,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,810 – $93,760+11.8%
15Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$69,320
Associate's degree
$43,260 – $144,730+11.3%
16Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$72,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,300 – $95,230+11.0%
17Food Batchmakers$46,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,680 – $58,960+9.9%
18Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$126,300
Master's degree
$69,260 – $171,180+9.6%
19Tutors$47,380
Some college, no degree
$23,580 – $89,440+9.3%
20Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks$47,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,990 – $76,880+7.8%
21Sales Managers$159,890
Bachelor's degree
$79,560 – $292,490+7.8%
22Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$75,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,750 – $142,500+7.7%
23Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$75,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,490 – $158,520+7.6%
24Social Science Research Assistants$66,620
Bachelor's degree
$40,650 – $136,810+7.5%
25Skincare Specialists$48,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,670 – $68,630+7.3%
26Facilities Managers$114,360
Bachelor's degree
$73,240 – $191,200+7.2%
27Sales and Related Workers, All Other$51,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,370 – $104,810+6.8%
28Interior Designers$71,760
Bachelor's degree
$45,190 – $123,820+6.8%
29Medical and Health Services Managers$131,910
Bachelor's degree
$74,060 – $248,660+6.5%
30Physical Therapist Assistants$72,800
Associate's degree
$43,400 – $89,600+6.5%
31Family Medicine Physicians$259,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$161,560 – $438,620+6.2%
32Chefs and Head Cooks$66,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,300 – $100,970+6.0%
33Insurance Underwriters$85,980
Bachelor's degree
$61,160 – $165,910+5.7%
34Special Education Teachers, Middle School$70,550
Bachelor's degree
$48,170 – $95,970+5.6%
35Education Administrators, Postsecondary$110,200
Master's degree
$72,910 – $230,780+5.4%
36Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$78,070
Associate's degree
$40,920 – $112,120+5.1%
37Purchasing Managers$155,360
Bachelor's degree
$91,560 – $250,120+4.9%
38Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,480
Bachelor's degree
$49,450 – $96,820+4.8%
39Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$65,680
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $95,070+4.8%
40Instructional Coordinators$81,060
Master's degree
$56,700 – $119,600+4.7%
41Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$85,710
Bachelor's degree
$56,470 – $162,410+4.2%
42Aerospace Engineers$140,460
Bachelor's degree
$84,520 – $205,540+4.1%
43Computer Network Support Specialists$79,180
Associate's degree
$47,910 – $130,080+3.9%
44Occupational Therapists$104,010
Master's degree
$75,290 – $128,610+3.7%
45Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$40,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,300 – $47,350+3.5%
46School Psychologists$99,110
Master's degree
$61,980 – $132,740+3.3%
47Driver/Sales Workers$40,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,400 – $60,020+3.3%
48Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$70,170
Associate's degree
$39,850 – $110,070+3.2%
49Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,590 – $76,790+3.0%
50Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$39,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,180 – $45,850+2.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianGeorgia	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$618,090	$187,570 – $642,610	+166.3%
2	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$425,460	$103,490 – $581,750	+65.8%
3	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$99,400	$51,800 – $153,630	+55.1%
4	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$128,850	$57,600 – $211,070	+22.8%
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$206,760	$93,590 – $373,420	+20.9%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,760	$58,570 – $98,450	+18.8%
7	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$43,920	$28,150 – $77,130	+15.2%
8	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,330	$74,920 – $207,890	+15.0%
9	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$48,800	$21,900 – $73,190	+13.7%
10	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$74,940	$46,530 – $108,610	+13.3%
11	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$72,290	$49,260 – $98,030	+13.0%
12	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$76,750	$48,500 – $101,730	+12.4%
13	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,880	$49,510 – $98,750	+11.9%
14	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,320	$26,810 – $93,760	+11.8%
15	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$69,320	$43,260 – $144,730	+11.3%
16	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,550	$47,300 – $95,230	+11.0%
17	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,490	$28,680 – $58,960	+9.9%
18	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$126,300	$69,260 – $171,180	+9.6%
19	TutorsSome college, no degree	$47,380	$23,580 – $89,440	+9.3%
20	Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,860	$37,990 – $76,880	+7.8%
21	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,890	$79,560 – $292,490	+7.8%
22	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,380	$39,750 – $142,500	+7.7%
23	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,280	$36,490 – $158,520	+7.6%
24	Social Science Research AssistantsBachelor's degree	$66,620	$40,650 – $136,810	+7.5%
25	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,660	$32,670 – $68,630	+7.3%
26	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$114,360	$73,240 – $191,200	+7.2%
27	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,570	$32,370 – $104,810	+6.8%
28	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$71,760	$45,190 – $123,820	+6.8%
29	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,910	$74,060 – $248,660	+6.5%
30	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,800	$43,400 – $89,600	+6.5%
31	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$259,320	$161,560 – $438,620	+6.2%
32	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,230	$43,300 – $100,970	+6.0%
33	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$85,980	$61,160 – $165,910	+5.7%
34	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$70,550	$48,170 – $95,970	+5.6%
35	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$110,200	$72,910 – $230,780	+5.4%
36	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,070	$40,920 – $112,120	+5.1%
37	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,360	$91,560 – $250,120	+4.9%
38	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$75,480	$49,450 – $96,820	+4.8%
39	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,680	$48,610 – $95,070	+4.8%
40	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,060	$56,700 – $119,600	+4.7%
41	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$85,710	$56,470 – $162,410	+4.2%
42	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$140,460	$84,520 – $205,540	+4.1%
43	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$79,180	$47,910 – $130,080	+3.9%
44	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$104,010	$75,290 – $128,610	+3.7%
45	Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,930	$32,300 – $47,350	+3.5%
46	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$99,110	$61,980 – $132,740	+3.3%
47	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,040	$24,400 – $60,020	+3.3%
48	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$70,170	$39,850 – $110,070	+3.2%
49	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$39,590 – $76,790	+3.0%
50	Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,840	$27,180 – $45,850	+2.8%

More for Georgia

Metro areas in Georgia

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Georgia

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Georgia

More for Georgia

Metro areas in Georgia

By field in Georgia

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state