Special Education and Teaching at Georgia Southwestern State University
GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 13.10
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Special Education and Teaching degree from Georgia Southwestern State University earn a median salary of $53,212 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,798. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.5 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$47,756
Typical Career
$53,212
Top Performers
$60,961
Estimated break-even: 10.5 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$355
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,434. Most students can comfortably afford about a $355 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Finance & Insurance.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$58,798
Nominal: $53,212 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $36,954 | $42,121 | $47,985 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $47,756 | $53,212 | $60,961 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $54,120 | $62,260 | $72,842 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $53,212 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $53,212 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050)
= $58,798 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are Educational Services (31.0%) and Health Care & Social Assistance (22.7%), with a smaller portion entering Finance & Insurance (6.0%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 10.5 years, suggesting that while the financial return on investment may take time to realize, the career opportunities in education and related fields are substantial. Overall, pursuing a degree in Special Education and Teaching offers a viable career path with solid long-term benefits in both earnings and job stability.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Special Education and Teaching degree at Georgia Southwestern State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.