Salaries · United States · Georgia
Salaries in Georgia 2026
The median pay for all jobs in Georgia is $48,170 a year ($23.16 an hour), 6% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS, May 2025): the 33rd highest of the 50 states and DC. Full-time workers living in Georgia earn a median of $57,564 (Census ACS 2020 to 2024).
By Dominic Roworth · From BLS, Census and BEA data, checked 31 October 2026
Pay in Georgia: the key figures
| Figure | Georgia | United States | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median pay, all jobs | $48,170 | $50,980 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Average (mean) pay | $65,920 | $69,770 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Lowest-paid 10% earn under | $27,930 | $31,200 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest-paid 10% earn over | $122,470 | $128,560 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Jobs counted | 4,889,170 | 155,495,730 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Full-time workers living here, median | $57,564 ± $310 | $61,657 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B20018 |
| Median household income | $77,353 ± $407 | $80,734 | Census ACS 2020-2024, B19013 |
| Price level (US = 100) | 96.3 | 100.0 | BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 |
| Minimum wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | State labor department |
Take-home pay on the median
On $48,170, a single person keeps about $39,229 a year ($3,269 a month) after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Georgia income tax. With prices 4% below the US average, $48,170 here buys what $50,000 buys at average US prices.
| Median pay | $48,170 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | -$3,600 |
| Social Security | -$2,987 |
| Medicare | -$698 |
| Georgia income tax | -$1,655 |
| Take-home a year | $39,229 |
What drives pay in Georgia
Georgia's pay reflects its role as a distribution and transport hub for the Southeast. Wholesale trade made up 8.3% of the state's GDP in 2025 (US 6.3%) and air transportation 1.3%, about twice the US share, according to BEA. Banking and credit were 6.5% of GDP against 4.0% nationally, and telecommunications and broadcasting 2.8% (US 1.8%). The warehouse side shows in the job counts: hand laborers and freight, stock and material movers are the third most common job, 137,580 of them on a median of $38,480.
The well-paid jobs in finance, telecoms and aviation sit on top of a large base of low-paid service work. The two most common jobs are fast food and counter workers (145,030, median $26,920) and retail salespersons (143,120, median $30,840). That keeps the all-jobs median at $48,170, 6% below the US and 33rd of the 50 states and DC.
Growth has carried Georgia. The University of Georgia's Selig Center says near-record population growth after the pandemic and a full pipeline of new factories and logistics businesses kept the state growing faster than average for four years, and real GDP rose 2.9% in 2025 (US 2.3%). For 2026 it expects growth to slow to the national pace as population growth eases and trade policy stays uncertain. The Georgia Department of Labor's June 2026 figures show that slowdown: jobs were up just 6,000 over the year, with health care and social assistance adding 23,500 while the federal government lost 10,000 and transportation, warehousing and utilities 5,300. Unemployment was 3.4%.
The highest-paid jobs in Georgia
Median annual pay, for jobs with at least 1,000 workers in the state (BLS, May 2025).
| Job | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 8,770 | $618,090 |
| Cardiologists | 1,150 | $610,070 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 5,440 | $425,460 |
| Physicians, All Other | 8,580 | $266,880 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,690 | $259,320 |
| Anesthesiologists | 1,040 | $230,000 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,170 | $224,630 |
| Chief Executives | 4,080 | $208,180 |
| Dentists, General | 2,620 | $206,760 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 18,560 | $173,940 |
| Financial Managers | 21,390 | $166,790 |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 1,010 | $163,060 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 3,590 | $161,470 |
| Marketing Managers | 8,510 | $160,760 |
| Sales Managers | 17,690 | $159,890 |
The most common jobs in Georgia
The jobs with the most workers, and what they pay.
| Job | Workers | Median a year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 145,030 | $26,920 | $12.94 |
| Retail Salespersons | 143,120 | $30,840 | $14.83 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 137,580 | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| General and Operations Managers | 111,060 | $103,730 | $49.87 |
| Registered Nurses | 100,950 | $93,550 | $44.98 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 97,850 | $39,630 | $19.06 |
| Cashiers | 97,540 | $29,070 | $13.98 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 86,660 | $35,620 | $17.13 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 76,470 | $18,700 | $8.99 |
| Office Clerks, General | 75,390 | $40,590 | $19.51 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 74,840 | $57,050 | $27.43 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 67,450 | $78,410 | $37.70 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 55,660 | $34,310 | $16.50 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 52,020 | $38,310 | $18.42 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 50,870 | $29,270 | $14.07 |
Pay for careers we cover, in Georgia
Official BLS medians for Georgia; each links to the full salary guide with pay by state.
| Career | Workers | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,170 | $224,630 |
| Dentist | 2,620 | $206,760 |
| Air Traffic Controller | 970 | $178,420 |
| Commercial Pilot | 1,020 | $145,100 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 2,230 | $140,460 |
| Pharmacist | 10,530 | $137,120 |
| Lawyer | 23,930 | $134,830 |
| Software Engineer | 49,700 | $131,010 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 10,460 | $129,430 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | 6,290 | $128,970 |
| Physician Assistant | 5,610 | $115,390 |
| Data Scientist | 9,260 | $104,340 |
| UX Designer | 2,800 | $103,810 |
| Project Manager | 28,900 | $102,140 |
| Financial Analyst | 9,780 | $99,420 |
| Dental Hygienist | 7,440 | $95,490 |
| Registered Nurse | 100,950 | $93,550 |
| Elevator Technician | 640 | $83,500 |
| Accountant | 44,020 | $81,900 |
| Flight Attendant | $78,320 | |
| Aircraft Mechanic | 6,720 | $75,640 |
| Compliance Officer | 14,390 | $70,200 |
| Paralegal | 14,160 | $62,400 |
| Electrician | 21,650 | $58,320 |
| Plumber | 8,930 | $57,200 |
| HVAC Technician | 12,290 | $56,390 |
| Welder | 13,130 | $48,430 |
Georgia and its neighbors
| State | Median pay | Price level | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $48,170 | 96.3 | $50,000 |
| Alabama | $45,670 | 88.8 | $51,400 |
| Florida | $47,880 | 103.4 | $46,300 |
| North Carolina | $47,970 | 94.3 | $50,900 |
| South Carolina | $46,490 | 93.7 | $49,600 |
| Tennessee | $47,380 | 91.9 | $51,600 |
Limits
BLS figures cover jobs located in Georgia, not the self-employed; Census figures cover people who live here. Take-home assumes a single filer with the standard deduction. More in our methodology.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (tables B20018 and B19013)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (table SARPP), 2024
- Take-home pay: Paygrade's 2026 federal and state tax engine, see the methodology.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: GDP by state and industry, 2025 (industry shares and growth rates are our calculation), data last updated 30 Sep 2026
- University of Georgia (UGA Today): Georgia's economy, like the nation's, will hold steady in 2026 (Selig Center for Economic Growth, 2026 Georgia Economic Outlook), 10 Dec 2025
- Georgia Department of Labor press release: Georgia Reaches New All-Time Highs in Labor Force and Employment, 16 Jul 2026
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