University of Georgia
University of Georgia — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
University of Georgia at a Glance
The University of Georgia is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the first state-chartered public university in the United States. It is the flagship school of the University System of Georgia.
1785
241 years old
$2.2B
$2.18 billion (2025)
43,887
32,824 undergrad · 11,063 grad
3,954
762 acres
Identity
How to Apply to University of Georgia
Official admissions pageOctober 29 (Early Action)
Testing policy
Is University of Georgia Worth It?
University of Georgia is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $13,936/year net price and $68,726 median earnings, graduates earn 4.9× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.8 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 89% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
Bottom line: University of Georgia delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How University of Georgia compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #1 of 17 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University of Georgia | 100 | $13,936 | $68,726 |
| #2 | California State University-Long Beach | 100 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| #3 | University of California-Davis | 100 | $14,741 | $80,838 |
| #4 | University of California-Irvine | 100 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| #5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 100 | $14,355 | $81,054 |
| #6 | University of Maryland-College Park | 100 | $15,678 | $82,860 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of University of Georgia's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at University of Georgia
The highest-earning program at University of Georgia is Computer Science at $67,200/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services at $16,300/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Science graduate from University of Georgia earns $67,200, while a Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services graduate earns $16,300. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Science graduates carry $20,723 in median debt vs. $22,873 for Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $13,936/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $67,200 | $67,200 | $20,723 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $65,000 | $65,000 | $18,000 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $59,600 | $59,600 | $22,340 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $57,800 | $57,800 | $20,394 |
| International Business | $56,300 | $56,300 | $18,750 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $55,200 | $55,200 | $17,443 |
| Insurance | $53,400 | $53,400 | $18,500 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $51,200 | $51,200 | $21,075 |
| Real Estate | $49,500 | $49,500 | $19,000 |
| Statistics | $49,400 | $49,400 | $16,625 |
| Economics | $48,600 | $48,600 | $23,032 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $46,800 | $46,800 | $18,000 |
| Marketing | $45,100 | $45,100 | $18,250 |
| Mathematics | $44,800 | $44,800 | $20,074 |
| Landscape Architecture | $42,800 | $42,800 | $27,625 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $40,600 | $40,600 | $19,012 |
| Housing and Human Environments | $40,600 | $40,600 | N/A |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $39,800 | $39,800 | $16,747 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $39,400 | $39,400 | $19,816 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $38,700 | $38,700 | $17,422 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $38,100 | $38,100 | $18,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $37,900 | $37,900 | $16,674 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $37,700 | $37,700 | $20,750 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $35,100 | $35,100 | $19,500 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $34,300 | $34,300 | N/A |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | $33,400 | $33,400 | $17,699 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $33,400 | $33,400 | $19,250 |
| Journalism | $33,000 | $33,000 | $20,319 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $32,900 | $32,900 | $18,875 |
| Public Health | $32,100 | $32,100 | $21,694 |
| Political Science and Government | $31,900 | $31,900 | $19,500 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $31,400 | $31,400 | $18,228 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $31,200 | $31,200 | $21,287 |
| Animal Sciences | $29,000 | $29,000 | $19,246 |
| Sociology | $28,900 | $28,900 | $21,918 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $28,600 | $28,600 | $21,500 |
| Psychology, General | $26,700 | $26,700 | $19,500 |
| Chemistry | $26,200 | $26,200 | $17,250 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $26,000 | $26,000 | $20,474 |
| Genetics | $25,300 | $25,300 | $16,124 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $25,000 | $25,000 | $22,985 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $24,800 | $24,800 | $22,101 |
| Social Work | $24,300 | $24,300 | $17,498 |
| Biology, General | $24,100 | $24,100 | $19,250 |
| History | $23,900 | $23,900 | $20,595 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $23,300 | $23,300 | $18,200 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $23,300 | $23,300 | $21,575 |
| Cognitive Science | $23,000 | $23,000 | $20,990 |
| Anthropology | $21,200 | $21,200 | $16,107 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $20,300 | $20,300 | $21,127 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $20,100 | $20,100 | $18,500 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $19,500 | $19,500 | $19,500 |
| Music | $18,300 | $18,300 | $26,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $17,700 | $17,700 | $22,615 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $16,300 | $16,300 | $22,873 |
Similar Colleges in GA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Athens, GA
- Student Body
- 32,137 students
- Admission Rate
- 38%
- Graduation Rate
- 89%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $13,936
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $68,726
- Median Student Debt
- $18,500