Business

These college majors lead to the highest pay in Georgia

Georgia needs more college graduates but a lack of money is derailing the higher education dreams of thousands of students. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM
Georgia needs more college graduates but a lack of money is derailing the higher education dreams of thousands of students. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM
By Fiza Pirani
Oct 26, 2016

Choosing a college major is no easy feat, but if you're looking for the choice that gives you the best pay down the road in Georgia, you may want to look into one field in particular.

According to SmartAsset's latest study on the highest-paying college majors in every state, Georgia students should consider health and medical preparatory programs.

Analysts at the personal finance technology company assessed micro-data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010-2014 American Community Survey, which includes data on more than 170 different undergraduate majors.

Analysts also calculated the average income for residents in each state who had studied each of the examined college majors, including residents with both bachelor's degrees and advanced degrees.

Health and medical preparatory program majors, commonly referred to as the "pre-med track," fell under the highest-paying college major in 16 states, including Georgia.

Though not all students on the pre-med track go on to become physicians, they are still the leading earners in many states.

In Georgia, the average annual income for residents who complete a health and medical preparatory program is approximately $92,775. In Wisconsin, the average income can go up to $226,163.

These are the top five college majors in the U.S. with the best return on investment  and the number of states they lead in pay, according to SmartAsset:
Learn more about SmartAsset's study and its methodology.

RELATED:

About the Author

Fiza Pirani is an Atlanta-based freelance writer and editor.

More Stories