Cybersecurity Degree in Athens, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Cybersecurity degree analysis for Athens, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$82K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$118K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
1.9 yrs
in Athens
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Cybersecurity in Athens, GA Overview
Athens, Georgia (pop. 127,064) has 11 colleges offering Cybersecurity programs. The local cost of living index of 103 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $743/month. Cybersecurity has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Network Security and Ethical Hacking skills. The adjusted starting salary in Athens is approximately $82,400.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$12,080/yr
Private Tuition
$42,791/yr
Room & Board
$10,251/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,146/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
50%
Cybersecurity Salary in Athens (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Athens's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cybersecurity salary: $80,000 starting, $115,000 mid-career, $145,000 senior level.Athens adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Cybersecurity ROI Calculator for Athens
Estimate your return on investment for a Cybersecurity degree using local Athens tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,080 | Private avg: $42,791
Athens avg aid: $13,146/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,324
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$46,350
vs HS diploma in Athens
ROI Payback Period
1.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Athens
$992,176
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,081,500) minus total education cost ($89,324)
Student Loan Payoff for Cybersecurity in Athens
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Athens for Cybersecurity
University of Georgia
public
$12,080/yr
$48,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Athens Technical College
$3,152/yr
Top Employers for Cybersecurity in Athens
Athens offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cybersecurity graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Athens Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cybersecurity Job Titles
Cybersecurity in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$81K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Columbus, GA
$68K starting · COL 84.5
8 colleges
Augusta, GA
$66K starting · COL 83
11 colleges
Macon, GA
$81K starting · COL 101
13 colleges
Savannah, GA
$76K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$90K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$87K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$90K starting · COL 112.8
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Athens
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$98K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$91K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$52K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Cybersecurity Degree in Athens — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Cybersecurity ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Athens.