Athens Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Athens, GA: $19.82/hr median hourly wage, $41,220 median annual salary, cost of living index 90, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Georgia taxes.
Athens Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Athens, GA is $19.82/hr,and the median annual wage is $41,220. Entry-level pay estimates around $12.29/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $28.14/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan statistical area (95,800 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Athens shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$41,220
$19.82/hr
Cost of Living
90
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.2%
rate
Athens, GA Overview
Population
127,584
Median Salary
$41,220
Average Salary
$53,670
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$250,000
Median Rent
$1,050/mo
Job Growth
+1.5%
Sales Tax
8%
Athens is located in Georgia with a population of 127,584. The median annual wage across all occupations is $41,220 ($19.82/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Athens-Clarke County, GA metro), which is $9,760 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.5%.
Athens Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Athens, GA built around the $41,220 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Athens-Clarke County, GA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $25,556 | $12.29/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $41,220 | $19.82/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $58,532 | $28.14/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $73,372 | $35.28/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Athens Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Athens, GA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$33,992
$2,832.66/month · $1,307.38/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.5%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,307.38 take-home per paycheck after estimated Georgia and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$41,220
Federal Tax
-$2,766
State Tax
-$1,308
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,153
Net Pay
$33,992
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,435.00 | $41,220.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$230.53 | -$2,766.40 |
| Georgia State Tax (3.17% eff.) | -$109.03 | -$1,308.38 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$212.97 | -$2,555.64 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$49.81 | -$597.69 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $2,832.66 | $33,991.89 |
Salary Comparison: Athens vs Other Cities
See how Athens's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GA | $41,220 | 90 | $45,800 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Paradise, NV | $41,057 | 100.5 | $40,853 |
| Ballwin, MO | $41,440 | 79.1 | $52,389 |
| Fuquay-Varina, NC | $41,532 | 85.2 | $48,746 |
| Lafayette, LA | $41,780 | 88 | $47,477 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Athens
Athens's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100). Living in Athens is 10% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$250,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,050
Annual Rent Cost
$12,600
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $33,992 annual take-home pay in Athens has the purchasing power of approximately $37,769 in an average-cost US area. Your $41,220 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Athens
Athens's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $41,220.
Salary Tips for Athens Workers
- Research top industries. Athens's top industries include Education, Healthcare, Technology. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $41,220 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Georgia
Atlanta
Augusta
Brookhaven
Canton
Columbus
Dalton
Douglasville
Duluth
Dunwoody
East Point
Evans
Gainesville
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Athens salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Athens indexed at 90.
- Median salary: $41,220 annual, $19.82 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Athens-Clarke County, GA MSA (95,800 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $53,670 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Athens was $48,000.
- Tax burden reflects Georgia 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.99%) (no local income tax), sales tax (8%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Athens: 3.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Education, Healthcare, Technology, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Georgia.
- Housing context: median home price $250,000, median rent $1,050/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Athens, GA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Athens unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Athens QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Georgia, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Athens's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Georgia labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Athens, GA?
The median hourly wage in Athens, GA is $19.82 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $41,220. Entry-level workers are estimated around $12.29/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $28.14/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Athens, GA?
The median salary in Athens, GA is $41,220 per year, or $19.82 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $53,670. This is $9,760 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Athens, GA?
Athens's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100), meaning it is 10% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $250,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,050.
What are the best industries in Athens?
The top industries in Athens, GA include Education, Healthcare, Technology. The city has a job growth rate of 1.5% and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $41,220.
How does Athens's salary compare to other cities?
Athens's median salary of $41,220 is 19.1% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 90), the real purchasing power is approximately $45,800.
What is the minimum wage in Athens, GA?
The minimum wage in Athens, GA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.