Columbus‘s economy is largely service-driven, and has many prominent firms – many among the Fortune 1000. The city also is home to many information technology companies, state government, Ohio University and other educational institutions that provide significant employment.

Columbus’s top job prospects are mostly those dealing with information technology and healthcare. According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Columbus’s education and health services industry employed 111,600 people in June 2008, an increase of 2.2 percent over last year. The city’s information industry employed 18,400 people in June 2008, a decrease of 2.6 percent compared to last year.

In June 2008, the unemployment rate in Franklin County – where Columbus is located – reached 5.7 percent, higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.5 percent. In the same month, the county employed 956,800 non-farm workers.

Franklin County’s high wage occupations include: psychiatrists with a median hourly salary of $70.39, family and general practitioners with a median hourly salary of $70, personal financial advisors with a median hourly salary of $48.49, computer and information systems managers with a median hourly salary of $48.26 and compensation and benefits managers wit a median hourly salary of $48.03.

The county’s fastest growing occupations include:

• network systems and data communications analysts with a projected 2014 employment of 2,840 people, a 4.6 percent increase from 2004
• physician assistants with a projected 2014 employment of 960 people, a 4.1 percent increase from 2004
• home health aides with a projected 2014 employment of 9,990, a 3.9 percent increase from 2004
• medical assistants with a projected 2014 employment of 4,480, a 3.7 percent increase from 2004
• computer software engineers with a projected 2014 employment of 4,880, a 3.6 percent increase from 2004

Franklin County’s fastest growing industries include:

• administrative and waste services with a projected 2014 employment of 80,200, a 2.3 percent increase from 2004
• professional and business services with a projected 2014 employment of 163,900, a 2.1 percent increase from 2004
• education and health services with a projected 2014 employment of 123,000, a 1.9 percent increase from 2004
• arts, entertainment and recreation with a projected 2014 employment of 13,400, a 1.6 percent increase from 2004
• leisure and hospitality with a projected 2014 employment of 104,500, a 1.6 percent increase from 2004

So even though unemployment is up, it looks as though jobs in Columbus won’t be too scarce.