Information Technology Degree in Athens, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Information Technology degree analysis for Athens, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$72K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$103K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.5 yrs
in Athens
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Information Technology in Athens, GA Overview
Athens, Georgia (pop. 127,064) has 11 colleges offering Information Technology programs. The local cost of living index of 103 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $743/month. Information Technology has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Networking and Cloud Computing skills. The adjusted starting salary in Athens is approximately $72,100.
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%
Information Technology Salary in Athens (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Athens's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Information Technology salary: $70,000 starting, $100,000 mid-career, $125,000 senior level.Athens adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Information Technology ROI Calculator for Athens
Estimate your return on investment for a Information Technology 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
$36,050
vs HS diploma in Athens
ROI Payback Period
2.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Athens
$786,176
Lifetime earnings premium ($875,500) minus total education cost ($89,324)
Student Loan Payoff for Information Technology in Athens
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Athens for Information Technology
University of Georgia
public
$12,080/yr
$48,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Athens Technical College
$3,152/yr
Top Employers for Information Technology in Athens
Athens offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Information Technology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Athens Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Information Technology Job Titles
Information Technology in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$71K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Columbus, GA
$59K starting · COL 84.5
8 colleges
Augusta, GA
$58K starting · COL 83
11 colleges
Macon, GA
$71K starting · COL 101
13 colleges
Savannah, GA
$67K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$79K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$76K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$79K 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
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Information Technology 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 Information Technology ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Athens.