Salary Guide: Guide for Computing County Official Salaries

The "Computing County Official Salaries for 2026" guidebook is now available. ACCG publishes this guidebook annually to assist counties in calculating salaries (effective as of January 1, 2026) of certain county officials, as well as state officials who receive supplements to their salaries from the county. The procedures outlined in this guidebook have been reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Officers Association of Georgia (COAG), the Magistrate Council of Georgia, and ACCG, but it is within the county attorney’s purview to interpret and apply all applicable state and local law. Please review the general principles on pages 4 through 7 of the guide for an overview of the complex considerations involved in the process of calculating salaries.

Important highlights in which counties may be most interested are shown below:

• There is no statewide 2026 cost-of-living adjustment.
• There are no major substantive statutory changes to compensation other than HB 85 (2025).
• HB 85 (2025) could have significant impacts on your county’s budget and may require legislative action by the county or the General Assembly. See Appendix J.
• The worksheets in the appendix of the guide have been significantly revised to improve clarity and usability.

Counties may still access the “Computing County Official Salaries for 2025”. Use this edition of the guidebook to assist in the calculation of salaries (effective as of January 1, 2025) for county commissioners, coroners, magistrates, probate judges, sheriffs, superior court clerks, tax commissioners, and other officials.

If you have questions about how salaries should be calculated, please contact your county attorney.