Atlanta guide

What is the Atlanta job market like?

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This article is part of our Moving to Atlanta guide.

Last updated October 18, 2026

The Atlanta job market is solid: metro unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, and the average wage was $34.57 an hour in the latest federal survey. That average works out to about $71,900 a year for full-time work, well above the $55,599 a single adult needs to get by in Fulton County. The big employers are airlines, retail, logistics, hospitals and universities. Film and TV work, once a major draw, has shrunk sharply since 2022.

Metro unemployment3.4%BLS, August 2026 (preliminary)
Average hourly wage$34.57BLS OEWS, May 2025 data
Fortune 500 HQs13in Atlanta, 2026 list
Living wage, 1 adult$55,599MIT, Fulton County, Feb 2026

How easy is it to find a job in Atlanta?

Easier than in much of the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro unemployment rate at 3.4% in August 2026 (not seasonally adjusted, preliminary). Georgia’s statewide rate was 3.2% that month, and the national rate was 4.1%.

The metro had about 3.1 million nonfarm jobs in August 2026. The largest sectors by job count were:

  • Trade, transportation and utilities: about 644,000 jobs. This covers stores, warehouses, trucking and the airport.
  • Professional and business services: about 564,000 jobs, from consulting and accounting to tech and staffing.
  • Education and health services: about 476,000 jobs, led by hospital systems and universities.
  • Government: about 354,000 jobs.
  • Leisure and hospitality: about 318,000 jobs in restaurants, hotels and venues.

A low unemployment rate does not mean every field is hiring. It means that, overall, people who want work are mostly finding it.

Who are the biggest employers in Atlanta?

The Metro Atlanta Chamber’s 2025 Top Employers Survey (it runs every two years) ranks Delta Air Lines first by a wide margin. Here are the top ten by full-time-equivalent headcount:

  1. Delta Air Lines: 42,090
  2. Northside Hospital: 32,000
  3. Piedmont Healthcare: 29,646
  4. Publix Super Markets: 23,660
  5. Wellstar Health System: 21,020
  6. The Home Depot: 19,576
  7. UPS: 17,037
  8. Emory University: 13,500
  9. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: 10,489
  10. UPS Supply Chain Solutions: 10,121

Georgia Tech, Cox Enterprises, Grady Health System, State Farm and Lockheed Martin round out the top 15. Notice how many are hospital systems. Healthcare is one of the steadiest hiring fields in the region.

Which industries drive Atlanta’s economy?

Corporate headquarters

US500 counts 13 companies on the 2026 Fortune 500 headquartered in metro Atlanta: Home Depot, UPS, Delta, Coca-Cola, Southern Company, Genuine Parts, Asbury Automotive, PulteGroup, Assurant, Intercontinental Exchange, Norfolk Southern, Global Payments and Graphic Packaging. Headquarters bring a lot of office jobs in finance, marketing, legal, HR and IT.

Airport, logistics and transportation

Hartsfield-Jackson, Delta’s home hub, plus UPS and Norfolk Southern make Atlanta a freight and travel center. In May 2025, transportation and material-moving jobs made up 10.9% of metro employment, compared with 8.8% nationally, according to BLS. These jobs also pay better here: $28.64 an hour on average, versus $23.96 nationwide. Warehouse, stocking and truck-driving jobs are among the most common.

Fintech and payments

Atlanta has a large payments industry. Global Payments and Intercontinental Exchange (which owns the New York Stock Exchange) are both based here, and many smaller payment and software firms cluster around them. If you work in software, data or financial operations, this is a sector to target.

Film and TV: smaller than it was

If you are moving for film work, go in with clear eyes. Georgia’s film and TV production spending fell to about $2 billion in the year ending June 30, 2026, the lowest in a decade and less than half the $4.4 billion peak in 2022 (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 2026). Studios and streamers are making fewer projects, and other states and countries have raised their incentives. Crew members told the AP in March 2026 that they now wait months between jobs. The Georgia Film Office says business has started to pick up, partly due to a new law that extends tax credits to short vertical videos and free streaming channels. Have a backup income plan.

How much do jobs in Atlanta pay?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025 data, released July 2026) found an average of $34.57 an hour across all jobs in metro Atlanta, a bit above the U.S. average of $33.54. The table converts hourly averages to yearly pay at 2,080 hours and compares them with MIT’s living wage for one adult with no children in Fulton County ($26.73 an hour, or $55,599 a year before taxes).

Job group (metro Atlanta)Average hourly wageAbout per yearVs. living wage
Management$71.58$148,900Above
Computer and math$56.39$117,300Above
Healthcare practitioners$55.97$116,400Above
Business and finance$45.37$94,400Above
All jobs$34.57$71,900Above
Teaching and library$31.50$65,500Above
Transportation and moving$28.64$59,600Slightly above
Sales$27.12$56,400About even
Office and admin support$24.25$50,400Below
Food prep and serving$15.37$32,000Well below

These are averages, so entry-level pay will be lower. In MIT’s budget, housing is the biggest cost at $19,875 a year. Zumper’s average one-bedroom rent in Atlanta is $1,625 a month in October 2026. If your offer is close to the living wage, plan on a roommate or a cheaper area. Georgia’s minimum wage is still the federal $7.25, so ask about pay up front for hourly jobs. Our Atlanta cost-of-living guide breaks down the full budget.

How do you job hunt in Atlanta?

  1. Start with the state. The Georgia Department of Labor’s job search page now points to WorkSource Georgia, which replaced Employ Georgia. You have to enroll there to claim unemployment benefits, so it is worth setting up early.
  2. Visit a career center. The Georgia DOL’s Atlanta Career Center at 223 Courtland St. NE serves Fulton and Douglas counties. Other metro counties have their own centers.
  3. Check local wage data. The Georgia LaborMarket Explorer shows pay and demand by job and area, which helps when you negotiate.
  4. Apply direct to big employers. Delta, the hospital systems, Emory, Georgia Tech, Home Depot and UPS all hire year-round through their own career sites.
  5. Network. A lot of Atlanta hiring happens through referrals. Join your field’s local professional group, go to industry meetups, and tell everyone you meet what you are looking for.

If you can, line up a job before you sign a lease. Where you work should shape where you live. Our moving checklist covers the timing.

How bad is the commute in Atlanta?

Commutes are long by national standards. The Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey puts the average one-way commute at 32.4 minutes across the metro, compared with 27.2 minutes nationally. Jobs are spread out, from Downtown and Midtown to Buckhead, Perimeter Center, Alpharetta, Cumberland and the airport. A job in one corner and an apartment in another can mean an hour or more each way in traffic.

Most people drive. ARC’s 2025 commuter survey found 82% of commuters drive alone. MARTA rail works well if both your home and job are near a station; a ride is $2.50. Before you choose a place to live, run the commute at rush hour. Our sister site, AtlantaApartmentBuildings.com, has a map of apartment buildings that makes it easy to see what is near your office. See also do you need a car in Atlanta and our MARTA guide.

Is remote work common in Atlanta?

Yes. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2025 Regional Commuter Survey (released February 2026) found that 60% of metro workers telework at least some of the time, up from 43% in 2019. About 20% work from home full time, up from 6%. Many office jobs here are hybrid, so ask how many days a week you need to be on site. Two office days a week changes how far you can live from work.

If you bring a remote job with you, Georgia’s flat income tax rate is 4.99% for 2026. Check with your employer about withholding once you become a Georgia resident.

Frequently asked questions about the job market in Atlanta

What is the unemployment rate in Atlanta?

The Atlanta metro rate was 3.4% in August 2026, per preliminary BLS data. That is below the national rate of 4.1%.

What is a good salary in Atlanta?

MIT puts the living wage for one adult in Fulton County at $55,599 a year before taxes. The metro’s average wage works out to about $71,900, so anything in that range gives you some room.

What is the largest employer in Atlanta?

Delta Air Lines, with about 42,000 full-time-equivalent workers in the metro, according to the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s 2025 survey. Northside Hospital and Piedmont Healthcare come next.

Is it hard to find film work in Atlanta now?

Harder than a few years ago. Georgia production spending fell to about $2 billion in fiscal 2026, less than half its 2022 peak, though the state film office reports signs of recovery.

New to the city? Start with our guide to moving to Atlanta.

Sources

Go Big City Team
Author: Go Big City Team

More Atlanta questions

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