August brings two things for colleges -- fall semester and a slew of studies ranking universities every which way.

Georgia Tech and University of Georgia earned the No. 1 and 4 positions when SmartMoney magazine ranked 50 colleges based on the median salary of graduates compared with what they paid in tuition. Median salary for Georgia Tech graduates is $57,300 and they paid $87,810 in tuition, the magazine found. UGA graduates have a median salary of $42,100 and paid $77,957 in tuition.

More information on "Payback Score": www.smartmoney.com.

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

Credit: Reed Williams/AJC