2021 Best Colleges in Georgia by Salary Score
Below are the best colleges in Georgia with the highest Salary Scores. A high score indicates that alumni from that college tend to earn higher salaries than alumni with the same major from other colleges. To calculate the Salary Score, we compared first-year earnings for alumni at a college to first-year earnings for alumni who earned the same bachelor's degree at other colleges. The list uses the combined Salary Scores for each individual program to indicate how alumni from all majors at that college performed. Each of the top five Georgia schools has a score above the national median of 50, with the top-ranked Georgia Institute of Technology earning an 86.35.
To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition | Salary Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Institute of Technology | $12,424 | 86.35 | |
| Emory University | $51,306 | 67.33 | |
| University of Georgia | $11,830 | 59.75 | |
| Shorter University | $22,370 | 57.42 | |
| Kennesaw State University | $6,347 | 53.74 | |
| Georgia College & State University | $9,346 | 48.88 | |
| Morehouse College | $27,576 | 48.68 | |
| University of North Georgia | $4,692 | 48.29 | |
| Mercer University | $36,894 | 46.06 | |
| Spelman College | $29,064 | 44.63 | |
| South University | $13,354 - $17,014 | 42.43 | |
| Georgia Southern University | $6,356 | 42.11 | |
| Georgia State University | $9,112 | 41.49 | |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | $37,130 | 35.68 | |
| Clayton State University | $5,419 | 35.05 | |
| University of West Georgia | $6,288 | 34.53 | |
| Augusta University | $8,604 | 31.42 | |
| Berry College | $36,556 | 30.99 | |
| Dalton State College | $4,246 | 30.36 | |
| Valdosta State University | $6,410 | 30.15 | |
| Columbus State University | $6,134 | 27.56 | |
| Middle Georgia State University | $3,924 | 26.08 | |
| Georgia Southwestern State University | $5,381 | 24.32 | |
| College of Coastal Georgia | $4,696 | 24.01 | |
| Point University | $20,600 | 20.05 |
2021 Best Colleges in Georgia Highlights
Georgia Institute of Technology's (GIT) radio, television, and digital communications program has a Salary Score of 100, making it the school's highest rated undergraduate field. Alumni from the program report a median annual salary of $65,480. Other programs with notably high Salary Scores include business administration, management, and operations (97), computer and information sciences (97), and design and applied arts (96). Overall, more than half of the undergraduate programs have a Salary Score of 80 or above.
School Overview
Georgia Institute of Technology is a large, public research university located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school also has campus locations in France and China, which may be of interest for students looking to gain international experience. Undergraduate students can participate in research and can choose to complete the Research Option, where students spend two to three terms working on a project of their own design. Typically, these students are later able to publish their research in an academic journal or present it at a conference.
Three programs at Emory University received Salary Scores of 100: business administration and management; film, video, and photographic arts; and interdisciplinary studies. Graduates of these programs tend to earn higher median salaries than graduates of similar programs at other universities. The degree with the highest annual median salary is computer science, at $75,710. The business administration program has the second-highest median salary, at $73,110.
School Overview
Emory University is a mid-sized private university in Atlanta, Georgia. Students with financial need have access to Emory Advantage, which aims to help students graduate with little to no debt. As part of the program, students whose families make less than $50,000 per year can qualify for the Loan Replacement Grant, allowing them to receive a university grant instead of federal student loans. There are many opportunities for students to gain international learning and work experience, as Emory offers more than 100 study, intern, and research abroad programs in more than 40 countries. Around 50% of students take part in some sort of international program, whether that be studying, researching, or service learning.
Some of the undergraduate programs with the highest Salary Scores at the University of Georgia (UGA) include food and nutrition (98), accounting (95), and agricultural public services (94). Graduates of the computer sciences program report the highest annual median salary at $72,360. Accounting majors have an annual median salary of $61,920; the program's high Salary Score indicates that these earnings are generally higher than those of accounting graduates at other schools.
School Overview
UGA is a large public university located in Athens, a city just over an hour northeast of Atlanta. The university has graduated hundreds of students who have received prestigious scholarship awards, including 143 Fulbright Scholars, 24 Rhodes Scholars, and 56 Boren Scholars. About 14% of UGA's students receive a merit-based scholarship directly from the university, and individual departments also provide some funding. UGA is home to over 800 student organizations, including more than 60 fraternities and sororities.