Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Social and Human Service Assistant Salary in Columbus, OH

Social and Human Service Assistants in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $42,190 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,702 take-home, or $2,975 a month.

Median salary
$42,190
$20.28 per hour
Typical range
$30,550 – $54,170
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Columbus, OH
2,430
0.78× national concentration
▲1.3%
Pay trend: The median for social and human service assistants in Columbus, OH rose from $41,630 (May 2024) to $42,190 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.1%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median social and human service assistant salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Social and Human Service Assistant in Columbus, OH
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$35,702
per year · effective tax rate 15.4%
$2,975Monthly
$1,488Twice a month
$1,373Every 2 weeks
$17.16Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,883
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,616
  • Medicare (1.45%)$612
  • Ohio income tax$378
  • Take-home pay$35,702

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state

Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,055 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $34,647 ($2,887 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Social and Human Service Assistant pay by experience in Columbus, OH

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$30,550$14.69$26,669$2,222
25th percentile$36,520$17.56$31,302$2,608
Median (50th)$42,190$20.28$35,702$2,975
75th percentile$48,080$23.12$40,272$3,356
90th percentile (top earners)$54,170$26.04$44,998$3,750

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $42,190 buys in Columbus, OH

Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median social and human service assistant's $35,702 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,396 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,179
40% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,416
48% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,796
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Social and Human Service Assistant jobs are less concentrated in Columbus, OH than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.

Best-paying cities for social and human service assistants, adjusted for cost of living

Columbus, OH ranks #19 of 34 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $58,090$48,855$43,961
2Austin, TX $49,150$41,672$42,494
3Kansas City, MO $45,860$37,810$40,857
4Sacramento, CA $53,810$43,439$40,723
5Indianapolis, IN $46,550$38,239$39,959
6San Francisco, CA $57,580$46,193$39,955
7Syracuse, NY $47,330$38,251$39,952
8Houston, TX $46,100$39,221$39,767
19Columbus, OH$42,190$35,702$37,396

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 34 metros →

About the job: social and human service assistants

Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+7.4% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a social and human service assistant make in Columbus, OH?

The median social and human service assistant salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $42,190 a year, or about $20.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,520 and $48,080.

What is a social and human service assistant’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?

On the median $42,190 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $35,702 a year ($2,975 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $378 in Ohio taxes in 2026.

Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a social and human service assistant?

Pay here is 8% below the national median of $45,930. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,396 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #19 of 34 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a social and human service assistant afford rent in Columbus, OH?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median social and human service assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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