Education
Education

The (dollar) value of higher education

The Governor's Office of Student Achievement's report, "Georgia Higher Learning and Earnings," explores the pecuniary value of higher education.
The Governor's Office of Student Achievement's report, "Georgia Higher Learning and Earnings," explores the pecuniary value of higher education.
By Ty Tagami
Jan 3, 2017

Pharmacists, business school grads, industrial engineers, nurses and industrial equipment maintenance certificate holders have something in common in Georgia: their chosen field of study pays the highest for their level of education.

A new report from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement lays out the value, in terms of money, of higher education in Georgia at all levels, from professional  and master's degrees that take many years to obtain to the shorter-term certificates and associate's degrees.

The information comes from Georgia’s Academic and Workforce Analysis and Research Data System, or GA AWARDS, a system that tracks students from pre-k through college and into the workforce. The pay information is for the first five years of work after earning a degree.

The report was accompanied by a new website that allows a search for earnings by degree type, major and college. "The results should be seen as one piece of information that students and parents can use when making major and degree choices," the website says.

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

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