Columbus Employment

Employment and Industries in the Columbus, Indiana Area

The tables here illustrate essential information about work and employment in the area. Information includes:

A table of the most numerous types of work found here, both for jobs generally requiring college degrees and jobs not requiring college degrees.
A table listing those careers significantly more common in Columbus than in other US cities; this is useful both for career planning and for understanding the nature of Columbus.
A list of the highest-paying jobs in Columbus.
A list of any large public companies in Columbus.

Most Popular Jobs in Columbus, Indiana Metro Area (2008 data)

Where the Majority of Workers Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Mechanical engineers	940	69,850	$46,720 - 99,030	4%	78%
2	Registered nurses	650	58,240	$43,350 - 73,920	24%	56%
3	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	520	64,830	$31,330 - 103,650	8%	51%
4	Chief executives	320	150,230	$97,240 -	2%	65%
5	Accountants and auditors	300	61,020	$33,330 - 84,710	18%	79%
6	Computer software engineers, applications	290	70,180	$45,060 - 100,510	45%	85%
7	Industrial engineers	260	67,580	$45,540 - 96,090	20%	74%
8	Engineers, all other	250	79,200	$53,960 - 110,470	6%	82%
9	Engineering managers	240	94,340	$71,040 - 120,610	7%	84%
10	Computer systems analysts	210	73,440	$43,890 - 105,510	29%	68%
11	Financial managers	160	103,980	$60,150 - 158,160	13%	60%
12	Computer programmers	120	72,520	$34,180 - 108,370	0%	73%
13	Managers, all other	100	88,980	$57,100 - 127,050	7%	55%
14	Computer and information systems managers	100	90,990	$58,020 - 124,310	16%	73%
15	Purchasing managers	90	90,390	$70,450 - 108,130	3%	57%
16	Network and computer systems administrators	90	70,290	$43,250 - 105,560	27%	50%
17	Sales managers	90	93,510	$34,530 - 166,150	10%	69%
18	Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	80	52,720	$29,750 - 81,270	17%	56%
19	Public relations specialists	80	31,960	$21,900 - 49,060	18%	81%
20	Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists	70	64,260	$24,390 - 162,990	18%	56%
21	Lawyers	70	92,330	$36,880 -	11%	99%
22	Pharmacists	70	98,600	$84,410 - 122,110	22%	97%
23	Medical and health services managers	70	74,090	$52,430 - 103,140	16%	57%
24	Financial analysts	60	84,750	$45,430 -	34%	87%
25	Marketing managers	50	103,230	$72,030 - 133,920	14%	69%
26	Social and human service assistants	50	26,330	$20,770 - 36,110	34%	58%
27	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	50	88,100	$37,550 -	12%	51%
28	Management analysts	50	54,370	$29,820 - 94,760	22%	78%
29	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists	40	34,180	$17,370 - 54,090	18%	56%
30	Training and development specialists	40	45,360	$30,230 - 68,090	18%	56%
31	Civil engineers	40	76,110	$46,130 - 104,340	18%	87%
32	Physical therapists	40	77,740	$64,600 - 98,320	27%	89%
33	Human resources managers, all other	40	81,710	$52,670 - 122,670	11%	58%
34	Child, family, and school social workers	40	33,630	$22,400 - 44,440	19%	77%
35	Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	30	101,890	$37,330 -	25%	67%
36	Legislators	30		$ -	1%	65%
37	Credit analysts	30		$ -	2%	60%
38	Personal financial advisors	30		$ -	41%	81%

Where the Majority of Workers Do Not Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Team assemblers	1,830	29,180	$20,900 - 39,360	0%	5%
2	Retail salespersons	1,400	22,390	$13,630 - 36,020	12%	25%
3	Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	1,150	37,890	$27,130 - 54,990	10%	4%
4	Cashiers	1,050	16,900	$13,110 - 21,680	-2%	10%
5	Office clerks, general	990	24,050	$14,080 - 35,130	13%	19%
6	Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	880	23,570	$17,610 - 31,120	2%	5%
7	Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic	780	26,160	$21,050 - 33,490	-2%	6%
8	Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	640	29,810	$20,980 - 42,400	-6%	14%
9	Waiters and waitresses	630	17,330	$12,950 - 28,410	11%	14%
10	Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	630	17,060	$13,220 - 22,480	18%	5%
11	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	560	31,760	$20,740 - 44,180	13%	16%
12	Helpers--production workers	560	24,920	$17,280 - 36,700	0%	4%
13	Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	540	29,340	$21,140 - 43,120	1%	18%
14	General and operations managers	500	101,320	$55,830 - 159,650	2%	48%
15	Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	500	25,900	$19,320 - 32,030	-14%	0%
16	First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	490	33,390	$18,690 - 49,250	4%	25%
17	First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	480	51,410	$33,280 - 79,670	-4%	15%
18	Maintenance and repair workers, general	470	34,760	$22,450 - 47,890	10%	6%
19	Stock clerks and order fillers	470	24,990	$14,910 - 39,170	-7%	8%
20	Industrial truck and tractor operators	450	29,120	$22,380 - 36,620	-1%	2%
21	Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	430	23,210	$15,340 - 34,110	15%	4%
22	Teacher assistants	420	20,190	$15,030 - 25,530	10%	18%
23	Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	420	22,100	$17,460 - 27,080	18%	7%
24	Home health aides	410	19,580	$15,070 - 25,910	49%	7%
25	Production workers, all other	410	25,530	$16,990 - 46,690	2%	5%
26	Maids and housekeeping cleaners	360	17,120	$13,380 - 20,570	13%	5%
27	Customer service representatives	340	31,620	$18,370 - 51,910	25%	22%
28	Engine and other machine assemblers	340	31,630	$22,330 - 46,710	-8%	0%
29	Machinists	340	31,780	$20,830 - 44,350	-2%	3%
30	Carpenters	320	36,720	$21,780 - 58,390	10%	6%
31	First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	320	50,330	$29,380 - 77,500	6%	29%
32	Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	310	31,530	$20,400 - 42,850	4%	6%
33	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	310	36,520	$26,390 - 43,280	14%	7%
34	Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	280	37,950	$26,590 - 52,020	15%	18%
35	Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	280	27,720	$21,290 - 41,840	-22%	0%
36	Cooks, restaurant	270	21,320	$14,700 - 30,160	12%	5%
37	First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	250	31,840	$19,830 - 43,720	11%	14%
38	Packers and packagers, hand	250	23,020	$14,600 - 35,680	-11%	3%
39	Food preparation workers	240	17,260	$13,290 - 22,160	15%	7%
40	Receptionists and information clerks	230	23,650	$15,380 - 33,470	17%	13%
41	Industrial machinery mechanics	220	40,660	$29,370 - 53,140	9%	5%
42	Construction laborers	200	36,670	$23,680 - 48,340	11%	5%
43	Truck drivers, light or delivery services	200	33,600	$19,780 - 60,410	8%	4%
44	Electricians	190	41,950	$33,640 - 51,250	7%	7%
45	Counter and rental clerks	190	21,430	$13,430 - 33,410	23%	16%
46	Mechanical drafters	180	50,610	$39,210 - 64,680	5%	25%
47	Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	180	25,890	$17,860 - 36,630	-29%	0%
48	Automotive service technicians and mechanics	170	33,230	$20,660 - 59,190	14%	4%
49	Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	160	24,780	$16,600 - 36,760	18%	6%
50	First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	150	54,040	$33,490 - 78,000	7%	13%
51	Production, planning, and expediting clerks	140	37,410	$27,330 - 50,530	4%	30%
52	First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	140	58,980	$42,640 - 79,920	9%	10%
53	Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	140	30,190	$21,450 - 40,060	-12%	4%
54	Police and sheriff's patrol officers	130	47,840	$41,890 - 53,920	11%	33%
55	Computer support specialists	130	42,230	$25,230 - 62,170	13%	43%
56	Driver/sales workers	130	18,670	$13,100 - 31,480	-4%	4%
57	Industrial production managers	130	79,180	$51,260 - 123,220	-5%	43%
58	Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	130	52,730	$33,260 - 78,860	0%	42%
59	Machine feeders and offbearers	130	23,190	$17,800 - 29,840	-14%	0%
60	Child care workers	130	16,310	$13,100 - 20,120	18%	15%
61	Tellers	120	22,520	$17,530 - 28,610	14%	16%
62	Cooks, institution and cafeteria	120	21,190	$15,710 - 26,130	11%	5%
63	Medical secretaries	120	28,670	$23,080 - 34,600	17%	18%
64	Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks	120	17,900	$15,470 - 20,360	17%	14%
65	Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	120	31,180	$19,610 - 47,270	-15%	0%
66	Food servers, nonrestaurant	120	17,550	$13,250 - 23,460	16%	9%
67	Sales representatives, services, all other	110	45,760	$25,230 - 86,200	28%	48%
68	Billing and posting clerks and machine operators	110	28,930	$22,540 - 37,930	4%	15%
69	Assemblers and fabricators, all other	110	36,360	$20,120 - 59,180	-8%	5%
70	Tool and die makers	110	40,140	$29,540 - 51,690	-9%	5%
71	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	110	37,890	$29,050 - 49,020	9%	3%
72	Dishwashers	100	16,070	$12,970 - 20,340	10%	3%
73	Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	100	37,040	$24,620 - 50,090	12%	3%
74	Bartenders	100	18,030	$13,050 - 28,720	11%	17%
75	First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand	100	42,180	$28,760 - 58,630	13%	17%
76	Business operations specialists, all other	100	42,430	$18,020 - 65,550	21%	49%
77	Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	90	29,990	$21,640 - 44,370	-21%	0%
78	Medical assistants	90	29,210	$21,870 - 39,890	35%	10%
79	Cost estimators	90	52,560	$29,100 - 81,110	19%	32%
80	Postal service mail carriers	90			1%	11%
81	Pharmacy technicians	90	24,040	$19,440 - 29,990	32%	16%
82	Highway maintenance workers	80	30,800	$23,510 - 39,450	9%	5%
83	Dental assistants	80	28,710	$20,660 - 38,900	29%	9%
84	Refuse and recyclable material collectors	80	32,620	$24,630 - 39,920	7%	3%
85	Physicians and surgeons, all other	80	196,230	$138,980 -	0%	0%
86	Bakers	70	28,480	$16,370 - 38,600	10%	8%
87	Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	70	52,770	$31,260 - 67,310	8%	3%
88	Bill and account collectors	70	32,700	$23,970 - 43,150	23%	13%
89	Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	70	17,110	$13,150 - 20,830	10%	17%
90	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	70			11%	4%
91	Dental hygienists	60	49,250	$24,540 - 71,850	30%	33%
92	Radiologic technologists and technicians	60	52,340	$41,670 - 65,290	15%	25%
93	Personal and home care aides	60	20,000	$15,930 - 24,940	51%	10%
94	Painters, construction and maintenance	60	36,650	$23,180 - 49,860	12%	6%
95	Industrial engineering technicians	60	41,380	$27,980 - 58,170	10%	18%
96	Parts salespersons	60	26,740	$16,780 - 44,870	-1%	6%
97	Medical records and health information technicians	60	29,010	$20,930 - 43,930	18%	12%
98	Security guards	60	28,390	$16,270 - 55,310	17%	13%
99	Food service managers	60	48,470	$32,830 - 65,750	5%	24%
100	Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists	60	21,330	$13,680 - 26,350	12%	6%

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Jobs More Common Near Columbus Than Most Other Cities

* Average job popularity for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs	Pop. vs. Avg.*
Engine and other machine assemblers	31,630	340	79.9
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	25,890	180	40.4
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic	26,160	780	23.8
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	27,720	280	23
Mechanical engineers	69,850	940	15.2
Mechanical drafters	50,610	180	9.5
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	25,900	500	8.6
Production workers, all other	25,530	410	6.8
Team assemblers	29,180	1,830	6.7
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	30,190	140	6.2
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31,180	120	5.8
Engineers, all other	79,200	250	5.7
Tool and die makers	40,140	110	5.4
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	29,810	640	5.3
Machine feeders and offbearers	23,190	130	4.8
Industrial engineers	67,580	260	4.7
Helpers--production workers	24,920	560	4.7
Engineering managers	94,340	240	4.6
Chief executives	150,230	320	4
Machinists	31,780	340	3.2
Industrial production managers	79,180	130	3.2
Industrial machinery mechanics	40,660	220	3.2
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	51,410	480	2.9
Industrial truck and tractor operators	29,120	450	2.8
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	37,890	1,150	2.7
Food servers, nonrestaurant	17,550	120	2.4
Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks	17,900	120	2.1
First-line supervisors/managers of helpers, laborers, and material movers, hand	42,180	100	2
Computer software engineers, applications	70,180	290	1.9
Production, planning, and expediting clerks	37,410	140	1.8
Home health aides	19,580	410	1.7
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	36,520	310	1.7
Assemblers and fabricators, all other	36,360	110	1.6
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	52,730	130	1.6
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	37,040	100	1.5
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	37,890	110	1.5
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	33,390	490	1.5
Counter and rental clerks	21,430	190	1.5
Maids and housekeeping cleaners	17,120	360	1.5
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	31,530	310	1.5
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	23,570	880	1.4
Computer systems analysts	73,440	210	1.4
Cooks, institution and cafeteria	21,190	120	1.4
Maintenance and repair workers, general	34,760	470	1.3
Carpenters	36,720	320	1.3
Driver/sales workers	18,670	130	1.3
Teacher assistants	20,190	420	1.3
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	54,040	150	1.3
Office clerks, general	24,050	990	1.2
Packers and packagers, hand	23,020	250	1.2

Work Paying Relatively Well in the Columbus, Indiana Metro Area (2008 data)

* Average Salary Index for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Salary Index *	Local Jobs
Assemblers and fabricators, all other	36,360	1.37	110
Construction laborers	36,670	1.18	200
Truck drivers, light or delivery services	33,600	1.16	200
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	64,830	1.15	520
Packers and packagers, hand	23,020	1.13	250
Computer programmers	72,520	1.13	120
Financial managers	103,980	1.12	160
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	50,330	1.12	320
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	31,530	1.11	310
Stock clerks and order fillers	24,990	1.09	470
Computer systems analysts	73,440	1.07	210
Team assemblers	29,180	1.07	1,830
Customer service representatives	31,620	1.07	340
Mechanical drafters	50,610	1.06	180
Helpers--production workers	24,920	1.05	560
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	31,840	1.05	250
General and operations managers	101,320	1.05	500
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31,180	1.02	120
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	24,780	1.02	160
Accountants and auditors	61,020	1.02	300
Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders	30,190	1.02	140
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	58,980	1.01	140
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	23,210	1.01	430
Maintenance and repair workers, general	34,760	1.01	470
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	37,890	1.01	1,150
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	29,340	1.01	540
Computer support specialists	42,230	1.01	130
Chief executives	150,230	1	320
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	52,730	0.99	130
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	31,760	0.99	560
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	17,060	0.99	630
Receptionists and information clerks	23,650	0.99	230
Medical secretaries	28,670	0.99	120
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	47,840	0.99	130
Engineers, all other	79,200	0.98	250
Cooks, restaurant	21,320	0.98	270
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	37,950	0.98	280
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	23,570	0.98	880
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	51,410	0.97	480
Industrial truck and tractor operators	29,120	0.97	450
Billing and posting clerks and machine operators	28,930	0.95	110
Tellers	22,520	0.95	120
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	54,040	0.95	150
Office clerks, general	24,050	0.95	990
Registered nurses	58,240	0.94	650
Mechanical engineers	69,850	0.94	940
Carpenters	36,720	0.94	320
Industrial engineers	67,580	0.93	260
Waiters and waitresses	17,330	0.93	630
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	37,890	0.92	110

Highest Paying Jobs in Columbus, Indiana Metro Area (2008 data)

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs
Physicians and surgeons, all other	196,230	80
Chief executives	150,230	320
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers	105,340	50
Financial managers	103,980	160
Marketing managers	103,230	50
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	101,890	30
General and operations managers	101,320	500
Pharmacists	98,600	70
Engineering managers	94,340	240
Sales managers	93,510	90
Lawyers	92,330	70
Computer and information systems managers	90,990	100
Purchasing managers	90,390	90
Managers, all other	88,980	100
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	88,100	50
Financial analysts	84,750	60
Human resources managers, all other	81,710	40
Engineers, all other	79,200	250
Industrial production managers	79,180	130
Physical therapists	77,740	40
Civil engineers	76,110	40
Medical and health services managers	74,090	70
Computer systems analysts	73,440	210
Computer programmers	72,520	120
Loan officers	71,610	50
Network and computer systems administrators	70,290	90
Computer software engineers, applications	70,180	290
Mechanical engineers	69,850	940
Administrative services managers	68,710	50
Industrial engineers	67,580	260
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	64,830	520
Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists	64,260	70
Accountants and auditors	61,020	300
First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	58,980	140
First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	58,510	40
Registered nurses	58,240	650
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	55,840	40
Management analysts	54,370	50
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	54,040	150
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	52,770	70
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	52,730	130
Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	52,720	80
Educational, vocational, and school counselors	52,720
Cost estimators	52,560	90
Radiologic technologists and technicians	52,340	60
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	51,410	480
Mechanical drafters	50,610	180
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	50,330	320
Dental hygienists	49,250	60
Food service managers	48,470	60

Large Companies Headquartered in Columbus

Company	Revenue 2005 (billions)
Cummins	9.9

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