Best colleges for the price
As we start wrapping up the current school year, rising seniors will look forward to (or put off) filling out college applications this fall. And while choosing the right education has layers and layers of variables, Bloomberg’s Best Colleges for Return on Investment is, at the very least, thought-provoking.
The best return on investment for Georgia? Georgia Tech, at $79,140 total cost for in-state education and $157,600 out-of-state.
Bear in mind that this article focuses on how much money a graduate will make for the amount spent. It doesn’t take into account where family allegiances lie, what your family can actually afford or which colleges are geographically desirable for your student.
It also means you might not see colleges mentioned with excellent degrees in traditionally lower-paying professions. If you’re a follow-your-passion kind of person, the (financial) return on investment won’t mean much to you.
Which schools do you think have the best ROI? What are the important factors in your student’s college decision?
– By Lauren Davidson, Atlanta Bargain Hunter
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172 comments Add your comment
Browncoat
April 13th, 2011
6:53 am
And what school would that be first in in Georgia? Why Georgia Tech, of course.
sad
April 13th, 2011
7:05 am
UGA would be on there if McDonalds would raise their wages
BigDawg
April 13th, 2011
7:39 am
I work for Tyson and make a pretty good salary as a level 3 manager….indeed likely as much as 50% of the Tech grads.
270mark
April 13th, 2011
7:39 am
Georgia Tech. But that doesn’t include the personal security detail. So UGA is the best.
j
April 13th, 2011
7:53 am
Tech grads hate Uga with a passion and that’s all they talk about.
Most Uga grads don’t even notice Tech is there.
Panther2013
April 13th, 2011
7:56 am
Well I am happy Georgia State made the followup list! Yay! With the crime surrounding Georgia Tech I would be nervous to attend.
Yeah
April 13th, 2011
8:08 am
Crime sucks but it’s no better for GSU students. And how many girls at UGA have been raped lately? Most of the crime at GT occurs late a night when someone is walking to Home Park alone…..bad idea. I hate it for the kids but they need to use a little more common sense.
Sarah
April 13th, 2011
8:09 am
I have never quite understood the college rivalry bit – Emory, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and Georgia State are all excellent schools, right? I grew up in California, however, not in Georgia.
My own alma mater, UCLA, did not make the list for Cali, sadly. The school I wanted to attend, Caltech, made the best return-of-investment for Cali, which I suppose makes sense (though Caltech has a fairly low acceptance rate and a relatively small undergraduate student body, so I guess that goes with the article’s caveat). When I went to college, it was either go to Caltech and leave with massive debt or go to UCLA for free. That very much affected my decision. I think my return-of-investment there has been adequate, in spite of my school’s absence from the list.
GT Student
April 13th, 2011
8:27 am
They’ve done a lot to combat the crime since the increase in incidents last year. (Knock on wood) There hasn’t been many incidents last year. You can’t go anywhere without seeing at least two GTPD or APD officers. I never feel unsafe ON campus, and rarely do off campus. I’m a 20 year old girl, and I’m moving off campus next year. I wish GT could lose this stigma. I’m not sure how you can consider Midtown less safe than Downtown..
Lori
April 13th, 2011
11:54 am
What’s the Good Word???
Kennesaw Grad
April 13th, 2011
11:54 am
Kennesaw State deserves and honorable mention in the ROI catagory. Tuition is a lot cheaper that UGA & GT (KSU is not an engeneering school) and the interns I get from KSU are guaranteed hires as opposed to the UGA grads who have no work experience and don’t want a job after they graduate. KSU may not be as highly branded as UGA GSU or GT but as far as education goes, it is on the mark.
Ben Leigh
April 13th, 2011
11:56 am
It might be a good value but they are still nerds at GA Tech. NERDS NERDS NERDS NERDS
Chuck
April 13th, 2011
11:57 am
Engineers make good money right out of school, bottom line.
An engineer that walks out of Southern Polytechnic will probably out-earn a writer right out of Oxford.
By Tech grad math that means Southern Polytechnic > Harvard
Ahh, nerds…
GSUEAGLE
April 13th, 2011
11:58 am
What about Georgia Southern?
Heather near Atlanta
April 13th, 2011
11:59 am
The University of West Georgia in Carrollton (west of Atlanta, almost to Alabama) has been great for my son, small classes but challenging, and excellent restaurants for when we go over to visit! And very affordable. Did you know the UWG debate team is ranked third in the nation, behind Harvard and Northwestern?
gbrownie
April 13th, 2011
12:00 pm
ah ha take that Georgia.
USNEWS
April 13th, 2011
12:01 pm
Well, UGA was top 5 on US News & World Report’s best bargain Universities. Where was the article on the AJC regarding that?
G5
April 13th, 2011
12:05 pm
USNEWS the reason UGA got top 5 best bargain university is because most students live in trailer parks and there diet is real cheap stuff. Like road kill, possums, and coons. You might be a redneck if you drive around with a G on your front bumper.
Future RATS!!!
April 13th, 2011
12:06 pm
Well, this makes my decision to attend GT in the fall even better! In all seriousness though, I am quite looking forward to the opportunity to attend GT simply for the fact that they are such a strong engineering school. And to see a label like this certainly encourages me!
DC
April 13th, 2011
12:09 pm
Why does it always seem that when someone talks about UWG on here it sounds like someone that works for the university….anyway…I loved UWG, but hate the city..its so boring and nothing to do..don’t let that other poster fool you..there isn’t much of anything to eat around the town…ya we have restaurants…who doesnt?
On a more positive note, UWG is ranked #2 Business college behind Ga state. I would highly recommend going there if thats your field..get good education without paying high fees at State. That is all.
gous
April 13th, 2011
12:09 pm
@kennesaw grad. way to prove your point by mis-spelling “engineering”….probably why ya’ll aren’t on the list…
evansdawg
April 13th, 2011
12:10 pm
‘j’ is right. Techies are obsessed with hating UGA and UGA fans hardly think of them. Even the ‘rivalry’ means less to UGA fans than to Tech fans. When Tech wins, they party like they’ve won the NC. When UGA wins, its like we beat Vandy. We are supposed to. Sorry…but thats a fact. Personally, my degree from UGA has been quite good to me. Plus, I get to go to Athens on a football Saturday. Who wants to go to Atlanta to watch college football???
Matt the Brave
April 13th, 2011
12:10 pm
Heather near Atlanta, I’m glad that your son is having a good time at UWG, but did you know they have one of the worst 4-year graduation rates in the country? I know from personal experience that there were many times where either I or friends of mine had courses change magically and then we had to take extra courses. Word of warning here…
Bryan G.
April 13th, 2011
12:10 pm
Georgia Tech is an even better value when you consider that you don’t have to waste your time seeing any hot girls.
Michael
April 13th, 2011
12:10 pm
@Lori “to hell with ga!”
Wally
April 13th, 2011
12:10 pm
who cares
Ramblin' Jacket
April 13th, 2011
12:11 pm
Yo Chickin Boy (aka Big Dawg). I doubt that you are making much more than this year’s GT grads. Parts is parts. Are you on the kill line or a de-beaker?
The Guy from NORTH AVE
April 13th, 2011
12:12 pm
“Ben Leigh”, how do you find time for such posts working 20 hours at Taco Bell and 20 plus at Wal Mart per week? Spend your time more wisely you DUFUS.
GT mom
April 13th, 2011
12:15 pm
As the mom of 2 women attending Tech I can say I am not worried about their safety. They both stay away from the areas OFF campus that can be issues LATE at night. Academics at Tech are far superior to any other University in Ga, including the extremely expensive Emory. A degree from GT means something outside of Ga. They are ranked 4th in the nation in science/math Universities academically, not just because it is a bargain.
462 JC Camp Student Center
April 13th, 2011
12:15 pm
Sarah, the whole college rivalry thing is a result of physically grown men who can’t seem to grow up mentally or emotionally.
jd
April 13th, 2011
12:15 pm
We’ve reduced the value of knowledge to a pay check. The gods of mammon win.
DT
April 13th, 2011
12:15 pm
It’s funny when you hear the term “Nerds” as a bad word. I would think its much better than the cool people that only care about sports or cheerleading.
Majority of “cool” and “popular” folks that graduate with me now live a boring life living check to check, a lot of them are fat and out of shape.
All the nerds that were made fun of, now own their own business or hold high paying jobs.
I wish I would have been a nerd in high school or college
southern opinion
April 13th, 2011
12:16 pm
Just curious -
What is the best, fastest, and cheapest way to get secondary education and a job?
My son has a degree in communication and can’t find a job.
Kivrin
April 13th, 2011
12:18 pm
Only one GA school made the list b/c the list only includes one school per state.
Kivrin
April 13th, 2011
12:18 pm
(By the way, in my previous comment, I was referring to the misleading headline on the homepage: “Only 1 Georgia school…”)
GT- not my pick
April 13th, 2011
12:18 pm
Walmart is also the best value on clothes …….but who brags about shopping there? The best institutions take young students, prepare them and send them out into the world in better shape than they arrived. You should check out North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega. This school has an impressive group of Alums and is the right size to give each student the opportunity to achieve. The military program can currently boast more active duty Generals than any other school, other than West Point. Beauty (and value) are in the eye of the beholder.
G5
April 13th, 2011
12:18 pm
@Bryan G. what’s wrong with seeing some hot boys. Girls will eventually realize that it’s slim pickings at UGA. You’ve got rednecks, rejects, and future ditch diggers to choose from. Well I guess I can’t blame all those UGA girls they just want somebody just like daddy.
Nick
April 13th, 2011
12:19 pm
What happens when the HOPE scholarship is factored in? When UGA becomes tuition free it’s hard to argue against it.
SFH
April 13th, 2011
12:19 pm
Everyone who has ever hired (and fired) a Tech grad is laughing right now.
Mercer
April 13th, 2011
12:20 pm
And why isn’t Mercer on this list?? LOL To heck with West Georgia. I have plenty of classmates who went there and transferred to Mercer because the school just stinks. UGA and Georgia Southern are just plain party schools. Good for Ga State and Ga Tech though. Even though they are both located in the ghetto…..
Hornet
April 13th, 2011
12:21 pm
What about Southern Polytechnic? GA Tech created the school in 1948. Most SPSU grads end up MANAGING GA Tech grads. Manager make more money (durr). I’m surprised (sarcasm) such a well known school made the list above the HUNDREDS of other colleges out there. Stupid lists… No one truly cares where you drank your early 20’s away. I’m just glad that Emory’s pretentious @$$ didn’t make another redundant list.
Tech Man
April 13th, 2011
12:24 pm
Of course UGA grads will always have job security. Hourly workers are always in demand.
GT mom
April 13th, 2011
12:24 pm
My brother went to GT and then Mercer Medical school. He never had security issue at GT, however, he stopped even putting his rag top on his car in Macon after it was slashed so many times. He just got a stereo that popped out and it went into his locker at the hospital. Macon is just as bad as Atlanta, but without the fun.
bigdawg1
April 13th, 2011
12:24 pm
It’s amazing to hear “I’m a ramblin’ wreck from Georgia Tech” sung in an Indian/Asian accent!
TechMan
April 13th, 2011
12:25 pm
Hey J, Understandable, Tech grads are usually on a higher floor.
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:25 pm
This has nothing to do with college rivarly. If a school doesn’t make the list, it’s because your net cost of attending versus your forecasted earnings in 5 and 10 years does not stack up when applied to the average net return on ivestments in your state over the same amount of time. So if you absolutely need your red and black then no one will stop you from going to Athens, but if you’re on the fence and studying something both schools offer (Business, Economics, etc.) then it might be of note to you that Tech offers a much higher average starting salary than any school in the state. Regardless what the Dawg fans will say about it, visit the campus and see for yourself that GT is a traditional Southern college with a technological side. You can find the party crowd (and, yes, the girls) if you want or you can stay in your dorm and play video games. That is no different than GA, Bama, Auburn, or any other big Southern university. The difference is you’ll work you rhind parts off to earn your way to that starting salary.
My recommendation: check out Georgia Tech, but never expect to be a slacker. GT can be anything you want it to be – nerdy or Southern fratty, fun or serious, etc. To get the highest ROI for any school, and especially Tech, I recommend joining a fraternity (don’t pick an animal house), win an elected student office in SGA, and work internships in the summers. It served me and my friends very well, and the social experiences offset the academic rigors.
Go Jackets!
TECH4EVER
April 13th, 2011
12:25 pm
It isn’t much of a rivalry when it comes to academics. UGA is not even in the same league when it comes to academics!! Call us whatever you want, this just confirms we made the right choice when making a school choice, others… not so much.
How did that tricky math question of yours went? How many points do you score with a 3-point basket? You’re a JOKE
commoncents
April 13th, 2011
12:25 pm
KSU Grad – “the interns I get from KSU are guaranteed hires as opposed to the UGA grads who have no work experience and don’t want a job after they graduate”
Sounds like you have positions available that no one wants if the students who are any good want nothing to do with your company.
DC
April 13th, 2011
12:25 pm
Mercer, your friends didn’t transfer to from UWG to Mercer b/c the school stinks but rather they wanted to get their core done with and transfer to another school that has what they are going to major in…I know a BUNCH of tech kids and Mercer kids who have done that at UWG…save money..and easier to get in.
GT mom
April 13th, 2011
12:26 pm
Seriously, SPTU? LOL, that is for the Tech flunk outs.
No Artificial Flavors
April 13th, 2011
12:27 pm
NGCSU! everyone I know that went there with me or otherwise has become at least an upper middle class citizen or outstanding military officer.
Cassie
April 13th, 2011
12:28 pm
Bryan G., if by “hot” you mean women with fake boobs and long bleached blond hair….then no, you’re not going to find any of those people at Georgia Tech.
If by “hot” however you mean passionate, hardworking, intelligent girls with pretty faces who are better than you are at math – there yes, there are many women like this at Tech. Maybe you could discuss calculus homework with them?
K
April 13th, 2011
12:28 pm
The perks of being a Tech grad pay off almost immediately. Nice salary, job security, loads of respect from co-workers, and the laughs that come from reading the hateful comments. I’m living good
GT mom
April 13th, 2011
12:31 pm
Both of my daughters are extremely intelligent and extremely pretty. I am more grateful for the intelligent part.
ReturnOnInvestment
April 13th, 2011
12:31 pm
Georgia Tech has an outstanding library and world-class faculty. The campus continually innovates by leveraging student creativity and ideas. It is a very challenging workload but the pay off is that a GT degree is respected worldwide. I love it here!
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:32 pm
To me it’s as simple as this – if you’re a hard worker then Tech will harness that more efficiently than other names you could put on your resume.
My caveat – BE SOCIAL at Tech! It will add soft skills to your knowledge, and that will maximize your earning potential. Good rule at any school, but at Tech it’s crucial.
Ramblin' Jacket
April 13th, 2011
12:34 pm
Seriously, we are lucky that the State of Georgia has all the fine colleges and universities that you have listed. No school fits everyone’s needs, and all these schools have a lot to offer. Lists like this are subjective. That said, my GT degree has been very good to me and my Tech buddies.
mhozey
April 13th, 2011
12:34 pm
Lets be honest, there are 3 great schools in GA. GT, UGA, and Emory. I graduated from a very GOOD school (state) last year. The good thing about State is that it is located in the city and the buisiness program is widely recognized within Atlanta. But going to war, and that’s what it is when you’re looking for a job nowadays, it certainly helps to have a degree from the top 3.
All of these other schools saying what about me and this school blah blah blah is silly. The reason you go to one of the other schools is because you could not get into one of the top 3. No ones first choice is to be stuck in Carrolton for 4 to 5 years. Yikes!
TECH4EVER
April 13th, 2011
12:34 pm
K, they claim not to hate us, they claim we are not worth their time and consideration, they claim there is no rivalry. YET, they jump at every GT article, and can’t live without calling us names. No, it’s not hating….it IS ENVY!!
bobcat grad
April 13th, 2011
12:34 pm
Georgia College and State University (GCSU) in Milledgeville was the best for my money. Great education, great college town, great greek life, etc. etc.
Hornet
April 13th, 2011
12:34 pm
GT Mom: I take it you flunked out of GA Tech? SPSU (rather) does have some tech grads, but those that failed redundant gen ed classes because they got caught up in extra curricular activities (case in point: I went there and know the 5 or so examples, not that many).
Tech is not a perfect school (case in point: The Olympic Village that GSU had for dorms was sinking. It was built by a Tech architecture grad and eventually thrown back at Tech to keep…) Only SPSU has a fully accredited undergrad architecture program in the state, with high marks and national leadership in AIAS (2009’s president of the association was a recent SPSU arch grad).
Don’t hate on the redheaded step-child. They will be your child’s manager because the “theory” education s/he gets will only allow him’her to ponder and research, not apply. SPSU has applied academic structures. BIG difference.
spider
April 13th, 2011
12:39 pm
yes but gt cant beat UGA in athletics very often
Blazer
April 13th, 2011
12:39 pm
VSU, Valdosta State…nice campus environment, good value.
Mercer
April 13th, 2011
12:39 pm
@Mhozey you just opened up a can of worms… I know plenty of people who want to go to West Georgia as a first choice (Yuck) I had no interest in going to UGA(Redneck party school) GT(I have no interest in science or math) and Emory (just because) So Just don’t assume people apply to the top 3 and not get in….. I’m just saying….
GTMBA
April 13th, 2011
12:41 pm
If anyone bothered to check out the list, Tech is 2nd behind Cal Berkeley for public schools. I found Emory at # 101 overall. I got too bored trying to find UGag mixed in with all the directional and technical colleges way down the list.
mhozey
April 13th, 2011
12:44 pm
UGA is not a redneck party school. It is a frat boy haven however. I hate UGA with every fiber in my body (Dad graduated from Tech in the 80’s and brain washed me to hate UGA form birth) But I can admit UGA is a great school and rednecks cant get into UGA
North Ave Killer Beez
April 13th, 2011
12:44 pm
LOL…. Funny how UGA fans act like GT hates them so bad, and they hardly notice GT at all, yet they fill up the blogs daily. I would say it’s pretty much mutual. Just because we GT one-upped you today… oh and spanked you in beezball you want to act like it’s no biggie.
TomGoTech
April 13th, 2011
12:44 pm
What does a UGA student call a Ga Tech graduate after college?
“Boss”
FAN
April 13th, 2011
12:47 pm
The maturity level of some people is staggering. Grow up people. The whole UGA vs GT rivalry on who’s better at what is getting old. Both are good schools.
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:47 pm
Hornet, SPSU does not have the only fully accredited architecture program in the state. The GT College of Architecture has been around since 1908 and was founded by a Harvard grad. Your story on the North Ave Apartments is only partially correct. SPSU owes its existence to Tech anyway, but realistically it is no one’s first choice. There are no academic rankings associated with it that I’ve ever heard of. They just chant the mantra “same education as GT for less money”…but nevermind that the “engineering” programs are just non-theory technician degrees. It’s a backup school for about 3-5 thousand kids that want to stay in Marietta. I worked there for a few years while at GT and it was just depressing. I really think anyone at SPSU needs to work hard and transfer to Tech ASAP. Yes, even the architecture students. AIAS, aside, there’s more than just your major to learn at a big university (and Tech is big enoug at 20k+). Go to Tech.
Uga faqs
April 13th, 2011
12:48 pm
Most uga “fans” have never attended the “University.” Pay no mind to the country bunkin who is dissing GT, from the county library computer.
The Imaginary Engineer
April 13th, 2011
12:48 pm
Don’t go to Tech unless you are positive you want to be an engineer. If you’re not sure, spend a year a clayton, kennesaw, spsu, state, or what have you to figure it out. Tech is not a “figure it out” environment; you are better of having a plan of action from day one. Its not worth the pain. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Be better. . .
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:50 pm
Yeah, the GT-UGA rivalry IS old…that’s the point! We call it tradition. “Clean, Old Fashioned Hate” as they say: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean,_Old-Fashioned_Hate
Bored of Regents
April 13th, 2011
12:51 pm
If you went to Kennesaw or Georgia southern, just stop and ask yourself why you even bothered to go to college. I mean, unless you are a teacher (pathetic in GA) or you want to make 20% more than your co-workers without degrees, it really is pointless.
Duke Grad
April 13th, 2011
12:52 pm
If my kids can’t go to my alma matter, then they’ll most likely go to a college or university in NC. The out-of-state tuition will be well worth it. No GA college is worth it IMO!
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:52 pm
Imaginary Engineer, Tech has way more than engineering. Management, Econ, International Affairs, Pub Policy, Pre-Law, Pre-Med, Sciences, Architecture, Design, the list goes on…I’m not an engineer but went into consulting at a technological business consulting firm. The ones in Atlanta love Tech.
Hornet
April 13th, 2011
12:53 pm
ManUp: You cannot get your license with a BArch form Tech, you have to complete your master’s. Only SPSU has had the complete 5-year track BArch. Tech makes you come back from another two years. SPSU sends you out the door and to work ASAP.
SPSU isn’t like it was when it was “Southern Tech”. They do have a lot of Engineering Technology programs, but they also have full engineering degrees. They are not a two-year division of GA Tech anymore, they are a 4-year university branched out on their own since MTV hit the airwaves (ironic? Hahahahaha).
Tech is okay. But SPSU isn’t the butt wart former tech staff like to say it WAS.
BuckheadBill
April 13th, 2011
12:54 pm
There is no doubt, YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE with the best college president in the world. That would be Cathy (Cathy with a “C”) Cox. I graduated from YHC and my family was so poor that the Native Americans brought us stuff.
ManUp...
April 13th, 2011
12:55 pm
Duke grad, Tech is the #7 public university in the country, Duke might look down on us, but for what we have we’re better even than Duke in those fields. UNC can snicker at us for not having English or something, but don’t even mention NCSU, Wake or ECU in the same brethe as Tech.
Ratchet
April 13th, 2011
12:55 pm
“$157,600 out-of-state.”
:-O
So, unless this kid has an arsenal of scholarship $$/trustfund, they will be more than half a million $$ in debt IF they finish in 4 years. No “return” is that sweet unless you’re guaranteed a large MegaMillions winning ticket with said degree.
Bob
April 13th, 2011
12:55 pm
This list is about as boogus as it comes. Southern Poly is about 1/2 the cost of GT and grads earn equal the pay. SPTU students use the same books as GT students GT mom. Check it out and then get back to us. SPTU has the same course work as those that graduated from Tech starting in the late 60’s. President of AGL is a SPTU grad ans SHE has tons of GT grads working for HER. You GT people are just mad that after paying all that money that your kids get less job offers than SPTU kids do. Face the fact
Martin
April 13th, 2011
12:55 pm
This just sounds like a pissing contest between GT & UGA fans (aka those that have never set foot on a college campus except for the occiasional game).
Vince
April 13th, 2011
12:57 pm
Well this list figures income against cost. That would eliminate schools such as Emory or Agnes Scott. The study doesn’t say that a Tech degree is the BEST you can get in Georgia. It says it is the cheapest for what you get.
jimmyjohn
April 13th, 2011
12:57 pm
I went to UGA, what does ROI mean?
GT Business Grad
April 13th, 2011
12:58 pm
So I graduated with a business degree from GT and now out-earn both my engineer AND UGA counterparts to the tune of about 30%. GT gave me enough scholarships to actually cut me a check every semester. So yeah…. bargain!
Very happy about my GT degree. GO JACKETS!!
Hey Ratchet
April 13th, 2011
1:00 pm
Bless your heart. That $150K is for all 4 years. Someone must have a math degree from UGA. No one pays half a mil for a college degree these days.
Duke Grad
April 13th, 2011
1:02 pm
“but don’t even mention NCSU, Wake or ECU in the same brethe as Tech.”
I know quite a few ECU grads that have made BIG bucks. NCSU produces better engineers than GT and better vets than UGA. Sorry, NC colleges & universities are far, far superior to GA schools!
mike
April 13th, 2011
1:02 pm
You tech goobers really need to stop all the hate on the other schools. You have a nice program there but your school is not all that. Your academics are good but your sports programs are never that great. I have grown tired of hearing how great tech is over the years. Each school has its positive and negative points.
Fraud Alert
April 13th, 2011
1:06 pm
… UNC can snicker at us for not having English or something, but don’t even mention NCSU, Wake or ECU in the same brethe as Tech.
not having English or something? WTH is that suppose to mean?
in the same breath?
OMG – please stop making Georgia institutions look so stupid!
With the nookie.
April 13th, 2011
1:06 pm
Go to tech if you want to get an education and don’t want to get laid.
Redneck School
April 13th, 2011
1:07 pm
That Billy Payne guy sure looked dumb in that green coat on TV last weekend. Probably because he went to UGA. Give me a break. The “redneck school” stigma is way outdated.
Uga faqs
April 13th, 2011
1:08 pm
See for example mike… It isnt even a discussion about athletics, but you are so uptight and hate your life, this is the first thing you go to. Really?
David A. Staples
April 13th, 2011
1:09 pm
I find it very ironic that someone is making fun of nerds by posting on an Internet blog.
Tosh.No
April 13th, 2011
1:10 pm
It’s always funny to hear some of these “tech grads” try to talk down on other schools when pretty much every one of them that posts a comment can not even use correct grammer. Do they not teach that at your fine institution? Its laughable that’s for sure.
Ogre
April 13th, 2011
1:11 pm
NERDS!
KSU Grad
April 13th, 2011
1:12 pm
Kennesaw is am excellent school. The students there actually want an education.
Yeah, right
April 13th, 2011
1:14 pm
Cassie
April 13th, 2011
12:28 pm
I guess in tech math “many” = 3
LOL
April 13th, 2011
1:15 pm
Here’s a joke, what does everyone in this country call Georgia Tech Grads?
Virgins for life.
Catherine
April 13th, 2011
1:15 pm
Do the rankings include graduate school admission rates? It’s a lot easier to get into graduate school if you do your undergraduate at a “big name” institution (unfortunate but true).
Catherine
April 13th, 2011
1:16 pm
By the way, uh, Tosh, before you come down on someone else’s GRAMMAR, you may wish to use a spell checker….
Jessica C.
April 13th, 2011
1:16 pm
“Kennesaw is am excellent school. The students there actually want an education.”
- am excellent school for illegal aliens!
Floyd Harris
April 13th, 2011
1:16 pm
We are talking about a college education here, so UGA has to be eliminated from the list.
OJ Simpson
April 13th, 2011
1:16 pm
The UGA grads always bring up sports, as somehow that makes the school better. I guess they need a reason.
FAN
April 13th, 2011
1:18 pm
No the argument is getting old. Tech can’t beat UGA in sports so their only come back is “well we have the better school.” UGA isn’t exactly easy to get into, so the whole redneck thing is pretty stupid. People from the state of GA that didn’t go to either schools, pick UGA because UGA dominates Tech in football. Why cheer for tech when they usually lose.
BTW Jeff Foxworthy, the king of all rednecks, WENT TO GEORGIA TECH!!
KSU Grad
April 13th, 2011
1:20 pm
My daughter graduated from Kennesaw and was accepted at UGA School of Pharmacy. So that’s not necessarily true.
yeah
April 13th, 2011
1:23 pm
Hey Hornet, how many architecture grads are being hired right out the gates in this kind of economy? Ive had some friends who graduated with Architecture degrees and they say the degree is more useless than a general studies degree in this kind of economy. SPSU has some bright kids, but ive seen many times where they lose head to head job opportunities to GT grads. If two prospective employees have the same resume, except one went to SPSU and the other GT, the GT grad will always get hired first pretty much every time. SPSU seemed like such a depressing place when I visited….and many of my friends who went there ended up dropping out or transferring. With that said, a smart person can do well there. But why put your self at a competitive disadvantage when you were smart enough for Tech to begin with.
Bird Watcher
April 13th, 2011
1:26 pm
@ Bored of Regents
You should be aware that this a program that is between Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech called GTREP. This allows young people to stay local in south Georgia, and receive a low cost high quality of education of Georgia Southern and also allows them to stay in the engineering discipline and transition into the higher level Engineering classes at Tech. So wake up.
yeah
April 13th, 2011
1:29 pm
Fan, Jeff Foxworthy is actually a pretty smart guy. He made millions by telling UGA fans jokes about themselves! Trust me he was laughing all the way to the bank.
42-34 Dawgs STILL Run This State
April 13th, 2011
1:32 pm
I get paid more than my tech co-workers.
Poleesemenses
April 13th, 2011
1:33 pm
Mercer baby, all the way! No other public or private school with the same amount of students (about 8,000) in the entire U.S. matriculates lawyers, doctors, engineers, theologians, economists, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals including a Division 1 athletic program that provides pro ballplayers and for only about $40k and change per year! Bring it!
MDB
April 13th, 2011
1:35 pm
Wouldn’t it be kind of embarrassing if an engineering school WASN’T ranked higher than a liberal arts schools for “30 year return on investment” which basically is future salary/tuition costs? That is why most of the schools on the list for all states have an engineering program. I always find it funny how the Tech folks come out of the woodwork to brag on any ranking that shows them as better than UGA when it’s an apples to oranges comparison. For some reason people who go there seem to think everyone is dying to be an engineer and/or take tons of superfluous math classes and live in mid-town Atlanta, but simply can’t get in.
brad
April 13th, 2011
1:36 pm
Jessica …you really want to compair the number of “alien” students at KSU and GT?? really??
Jacketbacker
April 13th, 2011
1:37 pm
This was a no brainer. Hands down the best school for the value. That’s why our children go there!
Go Jackets!
brad
April 13th, 2011
1:38 pm
Jimmy Carter went to Georgia Tech…end of argument
wee ruin this stait
April 13th, 2011
1:40 pm
hooda thunk. weer nashunal champs. lusers GO DAWGS!!!
F-Tech
April 13th, 2011
1:40 pm
Techies can brag all they want about their engineering skills…….
Doesn’t erase the fact that a Georgia Tech Engineer designed this…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw
Techies are the most pathetic, pompous group of individuals this world has ever seen. Yet they wonder why nobody outside of their small, nerdy little circle likes them, though they take a world of pride in disrespecting anybody and everybody who isn’t them.
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA TECH!!!!
David A. Staples
April 13th, 2011
1:40 pm
@FAN – at the end of the day, what do you think matters more… how much you bring home in your paycheck or that the college you went to can beat another college on the field? Personally, my income affects me much more than the sports program at any college.
evansdawg
April 13th, 2011
1:41 pm
I love all the female tech fan comments. You can pretty much rest assured they are much better off behind a computer screen than out in public showing their faces and disturbing the peace.
I'm just saying
April 13th, 2011
1:42 pm
Redneck School…you blithernig idiot…there would be no Green Jacket, there would be no Augusta National, there would be no Masters Championship if it were not for one man….a GT grad. Bobby Jones…and Billy Payne knows it…and now you do….so go back to flipping burgers you dolt.
2004 Yellow Jacket
April 13th, 2011
1:42 pm
Hey, there’s nothing wrong with going into pizza delivery after graduating with the masses from UGA, living in a trailer, and spending every dollar you make supporting your school’s efforts at a game. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to college for that?
There’s just not enough room for everyone at smaller, elite, world-class institutions like Georgia Tech.
KP
April 13th, 2011
1:42 pm
Emory is better than Tech by every objective metric: SAT scores, GPA, acceptance rate, class size, endowment, spending per student, diversity, grad school placement, etc.
Mishap
April 13th, 2011
1:43 pm
Really…sports? How does having a good football team translate into your ability move out of your parents’ basement after graduation? GT shows an 80% student loan repayment rate (UGA shows 66%/Harvard 84%/Emory 66%) which suggests people are actually able to repay their debts following their degree. The point of college is that it is supposed to impart skills/knowledge to function in society long after you destroyed the campus during a NC run.
A decent JV HS team could probably beat Harvard in a scrimmage but I somehow don’t think that’s the draw of the school that results in a single digit acceptance rate. The only people benefiting from an undefeated team are the coaches and athletic directors that get paid 7 figures riding the recruiting of the previous coach. My parents still have Herschel’s autograph but I’m guessing few of his teammates enjoyed anywhere near the success he had. Given that nice remedial class scandal that followed soon after, I’d venture a solid # of UGA players probably left w/o the ability to even read.
UGA has come a long way in terms of academics and some of its grad programs but having grown up in Athens (both my parents have UGA grad degrees), it’ll never leave its party/football school roots. Sure they may beat up on Tech but what’s their biggest claim to fame since that football/academics scandal when fans sent death threats to the whistleblowing professor in the ’80’s? My 7th grade SAT was solidly higher than the avg UGA freshman in ‘94. They’ve improved since but it’s still a long way from even beating Florida in actual educational value.
dre
April 13th, 2011
1:43 pm
Bobcat Grad – what are they putting in the water there in Milledgeville? Word from my hiring colleague is that the top 3 of 10 candidates she just interviewed were from GCSU. She said they were well prepared, sharp, eager and had all done internships, one overseas. So good for them!
I'm just saying
April 13th, 2011
1:44 pm
Hey Fan….five in a row as of last night…you were saying.
archi
April 13th, 2011
1:46 pm
@Hornet, a five-year bachelor’s in architecture isn’t looked upon very highly in the field. Most everyone I know prefers to hire those with master’s degrees in architecture, no matter whether you have a four-year or five-year bachelor’s degree (in anything). I didn’t attend either school, and UT makes the same argument about their five-year degree, but there’s a reason that the five-year professional bachelor’s degree has been phased out at most architecture schools across the country.
KSU Grad
April 13th, 2011
1:47 pm
It doesn’t matter what school you went to if you are rude and obnoxious like a lot of the people on this blog.
UGA_2001
April 13th, 2011
1:48 pm
Yeah, but we got laid.
archi
April 13th, 2011
1:50 pm
oh, and then there’s the fact that the majority of those working in the architecture field never get a license anyway because they don’t make it through the exams. And this includes those from BOTH schools.
yeah
April 13th, 2011
1:51 pm
KP but you must have rich parents who pay your way to attend that school. Im sorry but I was born with out rich parents, and GT is ranked right behind Emory academically so the choice was easy. All my friends who graduated from Emory with massive amounts of student debt, one had 200,000 for an undergrad degree!, would gladly trade places with me. Tell me how it makes sense to spend 200,000 on a degree that earns you less than one that is free, due to the hope, that earns you more. Is that what they teach at Emory?
rexdogma
April 13th, 2011
1:51 pm
The schools in GA are a joke. Nothing but glorified high schools. The only public college worth going to is GA Tech. I did not go there but it is good. Some of the private colleges are good also.
truth
April 13th, 2011
1:52 pm
The problem is with some people on here is that they don’t realize that a lot of people (aka most in he state of Georgia) cannot afford to go to Georgia Tech or UGA. All they want to do is bash the other institutions in the state when there are hard working people in the state who didnt have the financial means to go to one of the “better” institutions in the state. I personally was accepted to multiple institutions, but was forced to make a decision that would allow my family to continue to eat regular meals and send my other siblings to school. I feel that I received a good education and being a recent grad I have also received a job unlike many I know from “better” institutions. I know my perception will be seen as that of an “uneducated second class citizen” since I didnt attend Tech or UGA,.
F-Tech
April 13th, 2011
1:55 pm
See, the pompous Techie attitude where they declare UGA grads to be unsuccessful has brain washed them into believing it’s reality.
I would really like to do some psychological studies on these nerds, and figure out just how strange they are. I assure you, when you put them in an empty room and show them a picture of their GT logo, then show them a picture of the UGA logo, their brain and endorphins will show MUCH more activity when viewing the UGA logo, based predominately on hate.
It truly would be a sad, sad case study.
The “T” in Tech stands for POMPOUS <—— UGA spelling, right?
juvenal
April 13th, 2011
1:57 pm
only uga grads i see making money are lawyers….
Yeah, right
April 13th, 2011
1:58 pm
brad
April 13th, 2011
1:38 pm
Jimmy Carter? Seriously? That’s your trump card? LOL!!!
Yes, Jimmy Carter “went to Georgia Tech”. He took “additional mathematics courses at Georgia Tech”.
Additional mathematics courses? LOL!!!
is30303
April 13th, 2011
2:03 pm
This article is common sense – Tech is one of the top engineering schools in the country – of course ROI is going to be better. But here is my grip to you commentators:
I understand if you want to save money and decide to go to UGA or GSU but don’t say its among the best in the country. That makes you sound dumb.
If you could get into and pay tuition at the top schools in the country (not just Harvard or Yale but schools like Rice, Georgetown, UPenn, U of Chicago, WU at St Louis) but you pick UGA . . . Go Dawgs. . . I guess.
Likewise,does anyone really believe GSU’s business school is recognized among the top twenty business schools in the country? Damn at the least the Emory kids are smart enough to not say anything.
Outside of this state, nobody has heard of the other school everyone is mentioning – don’t flatter yourselves. I am sure these are fine academic institutions but don’t bother saying its nationally recognized because . . . it isn’t. Go to any part of this country and say you are a graduate of Mercer, WGC, KSU, S. Poly, or Valdosta State it means nothing. If that offends you, then you need to get out more.
Good data, Faulty conclusions
April 13th, 2011
2:03 pm
This is a great article for those who don’t understand statistics. I’m sure this report gives technical school grads the “warm and fuzzies,” (ironically, much like the promise of forty virgins in the afterlife for radical Islamic suicide bombers.) But, the conclusions are flawed. Comparing the averages of reported incomes of graduates from a much smaller engineering school with a relatively few, more homgeneous degree fields with the average from a large university with a broad spectrum of degree fields (including a significant number of essential, but traditionally lower paying careers like teaching, social work, and the arts) is misleading and statistically insignificant. You would think those who pride themselves on being good at math would know this.
real GSU grad
April 13th, 2011
2:04 pm
“Georgia State University” is the BEST for the BUCK$. GSU CIS is one of 10TH BEST CIS schools in the country. I am proud to be part of the CIS progam and GSU. Quality Education at an affordable tuition. Don’t ignore unpaid intern!!! Unpaid intern makes a different on your resume and in your career. Get active and be patient with your college career center. Thanks to GSU Career/RCC center, I got a great job. I can’t complain. It’s not the SCHOOL itself, but it’s YOU who make it happen. Go Panthers!
Budd
April 13th, 2011
2:07 pm
This takes the prize as the most bogus of college surveys. Who makes more is dependent on a lot of variables. Most companies base salaries on a cost of living factor as well as salaries for the local geographic area. In other words , what does it cost to hire an engineer in ATL. It will not be the same as California or Wisconsin. It also will cost more or less depending upon locale. Garbage men in NY make 100K. Does that mean garbage school in NY is a better value than an education degree from Auburn? This is sooo much a waste of space. If you pick your school by this list you deserve what you get.
NGCSU
April 13th, 2011
2:09 pm
North Georgia College and State University offers tremendous bang for the buck! It offers a beautiful and one of the safest college campuses in the United States, an excellent faculty, and state of the art facilities. (And according to my daughter, all the good looking soldiers in attendance doesn’t hurt either.)
woodrow
April 13th, 2011
2:09 pm
I would think the best return on investment is the kids that get scholarships and pay nothing.
Brian
April 13th, 2011
2:11 pm
As someone who has graduated from Tech and from Kennesaw State, I can honestly say that Kennesaw State does not even belong in the conversation with Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech is by far the better school and offers a much better ROI. Kennesaw State is like a disco with books.
happy with mine
April 13th, 2011
2:19 pm
The return on investment for my BBA (Management Information Systems) from UGA has been great.
And that’s not even factoring in that I never paid tuition b/c of the HOPE scholarship.
The market doesn't lie...
April 13th, 2011
2:20 pm
No doubt technical jobs *on average* have higher starting salaries for recent grads. What is not in the engineering school recruitment brochure is the underlying reason for that. Those positions don’t pay more because they are more valuable; they pay more because working in most engineering fields is a horrible experience. Hence the large number of foriegn students at technical schools. Many come from places where they have much fewer options. They are willing to work in conditions that most Americans eschew in favor of careers with better life styles and more fullfilling work. Of the GT grads I know, only one still works in engineering, and he wears his name on his shirt at a Ga Power plant in middle Georgia. If engineering positions were desirable, the market would price them lower. Goodness knows there are enough people with degrees who are out of work.
George P. Burdell
April 13th, 2011
2:20 pm
You all will work for me. Some day.
brad
April 13th, 2011
2:23 pm
yeah right…you took the time to google Carter’s bio…LOL
my son has 6 teachers…3 of which are TECH grades who couldn’t find work in their fields and had to enter the TAPP fast track teacher program to find a job.
Rafe Hollister
April 13th, 2011
2:23 pm
If you can’t get in UGA or Tech, Auburns waiting. Just check “out of state fee” and you’re in. All applications accepted.
reality check
April 13th, 2011
2:25 pm
I think there ought to be a portion of this survey about “most bang for your buck” that takes into account how much time you have to spend responding on blogs about who gets the “most bang for your buck”
Scooter Pickle
April 13th, 2011
2:25 pm
Red Panties!
Chris
April 13th, 2011
2:27 pm
ALL colleges and universities are overpriced now. Also overrated. Tech is great if you want to spend 4 years in your room.
you decide
April 13th, 2011
2:28 pm
All schools have graduates who are struggling to find work. One school has won 10 of the last 11 football games between Tech and UGA.
JM
April 13th, 2011
2:29 pm
Ga Tech has always been an excellent value. Congrats to all the professors and staff that make it happen!
CorporateAmerica
April 13th, 2011
2:33 pm
I recruit at all of the local universities that have business programs; mainly UGA, Georgia State, Kennesaw State and Auburn. We have been so pleased with our hires out of Kennesaw State and Georgia State that we have focused our recruiting out of these schools. When these students graduate, their maturity levels are much higher than the typical UGA grad; odds are, they’ve held down a job while making great grades and being good citizens of their campus (very involved). They have learned the same material that the UGA student has in the same time frame.
Bonita
April 13th, 2011
2:36 pm
The University of West Georgia in Carrollton should have topped this list. Tuition is lower than a snake’s belly and educational quality ranks up there with the best of them.
UWG — Go West and Go Wolves
F-Tech
April 13th, 2011
2:38 pm
Georgia Tech fan/student/alum: “To Hell with Georgia!!!!”
The same Georgia Tech fan/student alum: “Why do Georgia fans/students/alums not respect us??”
Nerds!!
Jacketman
April 13th, 2011
2:41 pm
Is ‘how much money you make’ really the only criteria for measuring the worth of a man or woman? I’m a Tech man myself, but I know a lot of great UGA (and even high school) grads who are making real contributions to mankind. Kind of sad that the world only keeps score based on income tax filings and property values.
B Regarded
April 13th, 2011
2:44 pm
If we don’t watch it, there will be no Americans at Georgia Tech….I went to the graduation and there were lots of asians and indians but hardly any whites and virtually no blacks. We are giving out best education to foreigners.
KEO
April 13th, 2011
2:50 pm
As a 1991 Tech Alum I would like to echo what we chanted anytime UGA students came on campus for a game….”You’ll work for us!”
Doug
April 13th, 2011
2:54 pm
Hey Duke grad, My daughter is at Duke, and I am very proud they are near the top of the list. I am a Tech Grad, and I agree that most colleges in NC are better than the ones here, but NCSU and Georgia Tech are not in the same league in any comparison. And Georgia Tech is the much better school in any ranking (in academics). But ASU, ECU, UNC-W, any of the smaller NC state schools are much better than the equivalent universities here in Georgia, and UNC is certainly better than UGA, unless you are getting your education in football.
Clover Wainscott
April 13th, 2011
2:57 pm
Anecdotally speaking, engineers are usually the people who were too dumb to become doctors and too socially awkward to work in finance.
South GA
April 13th, 2011
2:59 pm
Being from the Atlanta area, and having grown-up in Georgia my entire life, you have to appreciate the good ole Georgia/Georgia Tech rivalry. However, when choosing a place for higher education, I chose a school in a quaint southern town where I could work with my professors on a personal level. Valdosta State University was just the right size, with great programs, an incredible student life environment and at one heck of a deal. Compared to Georgia Tech, VSU is definitely a different type of school, but nonetheless I received a superb education and got a great job after graduation!
dawgdays
April 13th, 2011
3:10 pm
I hear that you can make a decent living as a lawyer, doctor, accountant, actuary and other UGA degrees. If you want to be an english teacher are you really going to Yech? That is just pa’tech’ic!
If my child wants to be an engineer, go to GT. If you don’t want to be an engineer, don’t go!
TECH4EVER
April 13th, 2011
3:17 pm
If you want to learn how to make an honest living and have people all over the world recognize your degree and the institution it came from – go to Tech. If you want to party at the institution recognized as the No. 1 party school in the nation go to the cess pool A.k.a. UGA
To Hell with Georgia!!!
Fraud Alert
April 13th, 2011
3:23 pm
The post by CorporateAmerica @ 2:33 pm is bogus.
ack
April 13th, 2011
3:35 pm
“How did that tricky math question of yours went?”
I don’t know; how did that GT English class “went”?
Loser.
Mishap
April 13th, 2011
3:38 pm
B Regarded,
As an Atlanta born US citizen(Crawford Long/Emory) of Chinese descent, I don’t know if you can generalize the citizenship of a student based on their appearance or their name. According to the GT factbook, out of ~13,000+ undergrads, under 900 were from another country. The # of international grad students is far higher but most of them are otherwise unemployable in the US and honestly if we employ them here, they do a lot more for our economy than if we let them get educated abroad and competing against us. Remember the combined population of India/China is nearing 3B. Assuming 0.1% of them are of genius intelligence and that’s 3M people that we honestly should steal to our side of the global economy. Chances are they aren’t going to be welfare kings/queens.
The Orginal WDE
April 13th, 2011
3:57 pm
haha, the UGA buffoons are out in full force.
You can’t leave a sports rivalry at the door, can you? Yall talk about how Tech is obsessed with you, but you’re on hear b**** about why GT sucks despite beating you very objectively in what counts- academic and professional success.
I’ll be honest, I respect UGA as a school. But when I got out of college, all the good jobs were pretty much us and Emory kids in the final round interviews.
DevilsAvocado
April 14th, 2011
11:59 am
Enter your comments here
Some of the commeters have said that there are no pretty girls on the GT campus. Well, I have just moved here in March and work on the Tech campus and I can say that there are definitely very pretty girls on the Tech campus – and they are smart too! Which is even better.
Being new to the area, I have a question for the locals: Was there a large influx of Wisconsinites to the Atlanta area at some time in the past? Was there a forced relocation, like the the Cajuns finding their way to Louisiana after being evicted from Acadia by the British. Who forced these Cheesheads down here? They appear to keep up their Cheeshead traditions, (just as the Cajuns have kept French alive in southern Louisiana), most notably putting Green Bay Packers ‘G’ logos on the front of their trucks. I’ve noticed that they change the Packers’ logo to a black logo, presumably in mourning concerning their relocation. Does anyone know of the forced relocation of Packers fans to Georgia, and can enlighten me, being new to Atlanta, about this historic event?
YALE ALUM
April 14th, 2011
3:04 pm
All of you petty UGA vs. GT folks are pathetic.
*nose in air*
war eagle 1981
April 14th, 2011
3:06 pm
LOL @ techies and dawgies arguing over whose athletics. BOTH football teams SUCK so what difference does it make?
Here's the actual rankings
April 19th, 2011
2:06 pm
The numbers are National ranks for return of investment; if there are two numbers the first will be for in state tuition costs, the second for out of state
23/29 GT
101 EMORY
203/257 UGA
540/620 GA STATE
549/573 SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC STATE
635 MERCER
652 MOREHOUSE
691/742 NORTH GC&SU
725779 GEORGIA SOUTHERN
774/827 KENNESAW STATE
849/880 COLUMBUS STATE
857/905 GCSU
858/884 ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC STATE
954/991 VALDOSTA STATE
982 SCAD
1021/1028 AUGUSTA STATE
1025 CLARK ATLANTA
Nativeson71
April 20th, 2011
7:40 am
Georgia Perimeter is CHEAP & GOOD!
Same books, same courses, etc etc etc as UGA, GA State or ANY school part of the ‘Universtity System of GA.’
GSU Grad
April 20th, 2011
8:45 am
What’s absolutely hilarious about these type of blog discussions is the abundance of anecdotal evidence to support childish claims of superiority.
As a 35-year old manager, I can attest that it comes down to individual as the best indicator for success.
In 2009, my company reached out to the two top Engineering institutions in the state (GT and SPSU) to provide a front-end model to review construction costs for proposed multifamily projects. When we met with GT professors they provided very little in terms of practical application and were going to rely mostly on theory. SPSU’s professors provided so many elements including interactive models, sustainability analysis and quantifiable data. In the end, my company saved over $14 million after going with SPSU’s model.
Does this mean that GT’s engineering school is outdated and provides very little value in terms of real world education. No, it simply means that SPSU’s model was a more appropriate fit for our company. Also, our Director of Architecture is a GT grad.