With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a college degree. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Georgia ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
After analyzing 46 schools in Georgia, we came up with our list of those that offered the best associate degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. While associate degree recipients from schools in Georgia earn an average starting salary of $33,656, those from the top 20 school on this list made an average of $36,867.
Starting Salary ( 30054 to 40844 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in Georgia take out an average of $23,073.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Our analysis found Savannah Technical College to be the best school for associate degrees in Georgia in this year’s ranking. Savannah Technical College is a small public school located in Savannah, Georgia that handed out 370 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Savannah Tech make an average of $35,643 a year.
A rank of #2 on our Best Associate Degree in Georgia list means Ogeechee Technical College is a great place for students working on their degree. Statesboro, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 233 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Ogeechee Technical College make an average of $33,787 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $8,000.
The excellent associate degree programs at Gwinnett Technical College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Georgia. GTC is a public institution located in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 745 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from GTC make an average of $33,833 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $18,224 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbus Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Columbus Technical College is located in Columbus, Georgia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 488 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,948 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,842.
Out of the 46 associate degree schools in Georgia that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgia Northwestern Technical College landed the #5 spot on the list. Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public institution located in Rome, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 500 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Georgia Northwestern Technical College make an average of $44,759 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,474 in student loans.
Georgia State University-Perimeter College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. Georgia State University-Perimeter College is a public institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,542 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Georgia State University-Perimeter College make an average of $47,270 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $23,533.
Central Georgia Technical College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. Located in Warner Robins, Georgia, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,217 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from CGTC make an average of $32,778 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $17,047.
Brenau University landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Gainesville, Georgia, and it awarded 33 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $26,189.
With a ranking of #9, Savannah State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Savannah State University is a public institution located in Savannah, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 62 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
University of North Georgia came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. UNG is a fairly large public school situated in Dahlonega, Georgia. It awarded 787 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $24,971 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $12,181 in student loans.
Southern Regional Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking, coming in at #11. Southwest Georgia Technical College is a public institution located in Thomasville, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 378 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Southwest Georgia Technical College make an average of $32,545 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,248 after getting their degree.
Lanier Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. Lanier Technical College is a public institution located in Gainesville, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 340 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Lanier Technical College make an average of $39,363 per year during the early years of their career.
Augusta Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Augusta Technical College is a small public school located in Augusta, Georgia that handed out 447 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,622 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $15,621 in student loans.
Shorter University did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Rome, Georgia, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 26 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Shorter make an average of $34,686 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $21,774 in student loans.
Athens Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking, coming in at #15. Athens Technical College is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 542 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Athens Technical College make an average of $38,464 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $11,875.
DeVry University - Georgia ranked #16 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. This small private for-profit school is located in Decatur, Georgia, and it awarded 57 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from DeVry University - Georgia is $33,684 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $36,663 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $120 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Georgia Highlands College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking, coming in at #17. GHC is located in Rome, Georgia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 889 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from GHC make an average of $42,794 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $13,626 in student loans.
With a ranking of #18, Coastal Pines Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Coastal Pines Technical College is a public institution located in Waycross, Georgia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 131 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #19, West Georgia Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. West Georgia Technical College is a medium-sized public school situated in Waco, Georgia. It awarded 380 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from West Georgia Technical College make an average of $40,541 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $15,060.
With a ranking of #20, Herzing University - Atlanta did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Herzing University - Atlanta is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 89 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Herzing University - Atlanta is $32,013 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $31,857.
Southern Crescent Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking, coming in at #21. Southern Crescent Technical College is a public institution located in Griffin, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 411 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Southern Crescent Technical College make an average of $36,459 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $12,653.
Chattahoochee Technical College landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. Chattahoochee Technical College is located in Marietta, Georgia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 694 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from Chattahoochee Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $35,256 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $12,346 after getting their degree.
Albany Technical College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Albany Technical College is located in Albany, Georgia and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 353 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Albany Technical College make an average of $34,936 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $24,644 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #24, Clayton State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia list. Morrow, Georgia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 74 students in 2020-2021.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $31,000 after getting their degree.
Columbus State University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Georgia ranking. CSU is located in Columbus, Georgia and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.