Ensuring the value of a degree is a key component in restoring public trust in the higher education system, following a period of fluctuation — 42% of Americans express confidence in the system today compared to nearly 60% a decade ago. The value of a Georgia Tech degree continues to be demonstrated through a strong return on investment offered to students, the research community, and the state of Georgia.
By the Numbers
- The average starting salary for Georgia Tech graduates was $89,000 in 2024 — over $20,000 higher than the national average.
- Georgia Tech’s average starting salary is $40,000 higher than the median salary for someone with a high school diploma.
- The Institute is the No. 1 public university for ROI 15, 20, and 30 years after graduation (Department of Education’s College Scorecard).
For the third consecutive year, Georgia Tech was named the best value public college by The Princeton Review because of its affordability, career outcomes, and academic prestige. Based on a survey of administrators at over 650 schools, the rankings also included the Institute at the top in career placement, noting that the innovative and hands-on learning approach leaves graduates “well prepared to face the job market.”
“At Georgia Tech, we strive to provide a world-class education that is affordable and accessible, and that delivers exceptional outcomes to as many talented students as we can,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “By doing that, we not only change the students’ lives, but we fuel the economy, drive innovation, and strengthen our state’s and our nation’s competitive edge.”
Underscoring the value of a degree over time, University System of Georgia (USG) data shows that graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn $1.4 million more throughout their careers.
ROI With Reach
The USG data highlights the Institute’s broader reach as a driver of economic development in the state. Georgia Tech contributed a record $5.8 billion to Georgia’s economy in fiscal year 2024 while supporting 36,000 jobs. The Institute is the No. 1 university for research expenditures without a medical school, reaching $1.45 billion in fiscal year 2024, with those funds providing a similar ROI. For example, every dollar of federal and state appropriations received by Tech’s economic development arm, the Enterprise Innovation Institute, generated an economic impact return of $999 in fiscal year 2024.
Return on investment becomes increasingly important in correlation with the affordability of a four-year degree. Tuition at Georgia Tech has increased by just 2.5% since 2019; this year, in-state students will pay less than they did in 2019 when adjusted for inflation.
To ensure low-income students do not face a financial barrier at Georgia Tech, student financial aid is the top priority in the ongoing Transforming Tomorrow fundraising campaign. Tech just completed its most successful fundraising year in its history, including $100 million in new endowed scholarship support for low- and limited-income students.
Becoming a national leader in outcomes and ROI for all students is a primary focus of the refreshed strategic plan, along with three additional “big bets” designed to amplify the Institute’s global reach.
This is excellent analysis and, it exposes the speciousness of the decades long influx of “Finance” & other vaguely important sounding majors studying what amounts to little more than a rule book of a game for people with a high net-worth.
This coming economic calamity will be centered on the loss of trust in the fiat debt obligation known as the US Dollar. Likewise Georgia Tech is an institution that teaches students about tangible cause and effect relationships whereas business and finance is reliant on the continual expansion of credit, so growth of an illusory energy receipt (US Dollar).
Only Gold and Silver should be regarded as money, everything else is credit.