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Average Salary in Georgia
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Georgia, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 734 occupations in Georgia. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Georgia's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Georgia jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Georgia
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Georgia is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 561.8% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 240 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Georgia pays 21.1% higher for this work. Next on the list are general internal medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and ophthalmologists, except pediatric at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 5,320 people in Georgia, so they describe the top of the Georgia wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 240 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 5,000 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 80 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 450 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,250 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 3,290 | $67.30 | $139,990 | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 5,440 | $96.99 | $201,750 | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 6,790 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 600 | $99.47 | $206,890 | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 460 | $110.19 | $229,190 | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 1,520 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 750 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | 2,390 | — | $72,130 | $229,340 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,160 | $106.34 | $221,190 | $219,130 |
| Dentists, General | 3,260 | $94.14 | $195,820 | $203,300 |
Largest occupations in Georgia
The occupation with the most jobs in Georgia is fast food and counter workers, employing an estimated 151,240 people at a median annual wage of $26,310 and a mean of $26,920. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $30,480, so Georgia's typical pay for this work runs 13.7% lower. The next-largest occupations are retail salespersons (142,520 jobs, median $29,770) and laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (135,950 jobs, median $37,030). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Georgia pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 151,240 | $26,310 | $26,920 |
| Retail Salespersons | 142,520 | $29,770 | $32,980 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 135,950 | $37,030 | $39,120 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 112,790 | $39,030 | $42,080 |
| General and Operations Managers | 111,240 | $99,800 | $127,450 |
| Registered Nurses | 97,410 | $86,560 | $91,960 |
| Cashiers | 96,120 | $28,020 | $27,940 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 88,650 | $35,560 | $37,970 |
| Office Clerks, General | 79,450 | $39,440 | $41,280 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 78,990 | $75,820 | $87,940 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 75,700 | $56,570 | $57,190 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 71,870 | $20,040 | $27,340 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 53,160 | $33,130 | $33,290 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 53,020 | $44,330 | $45,800 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 50,620 | $38,280 | $39,280 |
Where Georgia pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Georgia median with its own national median shows where Georgia's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Georgia jobs, the largest premium is for health education specialists: a median of $97,010 in Georgia versus $63,000 nationally, 54.0% higher. The largest discount is for educational instruction and library workers, all other, at $23,390 in Georgia versus $48,400 nationally, 51.7% lower. In total, 84 of the 432 occupations with 1,000 or more Georgia jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 221 of the 734 occupations published for Georgia have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Georgia's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Georgia median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists | $97,010 | $63,000 | +54.0% |
| Social Workers, All Other | $92,750 | $69,480 | +33.5% |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $76,440 | $60,280 | +26.8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $74,750 | $59,330 | +26.0% |
| Art Directors | $131,620 | $111,040 | +18.5% |
| Cooks, Short Order | $22,160 | $35,620 | -37.8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $20,040 | $33,760 | -40.6% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $139,990 | $239,200 | -41.5% |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $51,210 | $95,830 | -46.6% |
| Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other | $23,390 | $48,400 | -51.7% |
Georgia salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Georgia?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Georgia, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Georgia?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Georgia, the largest occupation, fast food and counter workers, paid a median of $26,310 across 151,240 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 734 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Georgia have?
Fast Food and Counter Workers is the largest occupation published for Georgia, with an estimated 151,240 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $26,920.
Which occupations pay more in Georgia than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Georgia jobs, health education specialists shows the largest premium: a median of $97,010 in Georgia versus $63,000 nationally, 54.0% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.