ROI Major

Teaching Assistants/Aides at Middle Georgia State University

GA · Associate's Degree · CIP 13.15

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Teaching Assistants/Aides degree from Middle Georgia State University earn a median salary of $38,967 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $43,057. The degree typically pays for itself in 28.5 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$27,814

Typical Career

$38,967

Top Performers

$61,332

Estimated break-even: 28.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$260

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,247. Most students can comfortably afford about a $260 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x 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: Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Manufacturing 22.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 17.3%
Educational Services 12.5%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$43,057

Nominal: $38,967 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).

28.5 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

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 $17,221 $21,778 $29,336
5 Years After Graduation $27,814 $38,967 $61,332
10 Years After Graduation $29,557 $47,939 $60,696

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 $38,967 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)
= $38,967 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $43,057 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for Teaching Assistants/Aides at Middle Georgia State University shows a gradual increase over time, with median earnings of $21,778 one year after graduation, rising to $38,967 after five years, and reaching $47,939 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with a national equivalent of $43,057.46, indicating that while initial earnings may be lower, the long-term financial outlook improves significantly, especially when considering the cost of living in Georgia.

Graduates primarily enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, which account for 36.2% and 23.6% of employment, followed by Manufacturing at 22.1%. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 28.5 years, suggesting that while the financial return on investment may take considerable time to realize, the stability and growth potential in these industries can provide a solid foundation for a career. Overall, prospective students should weigh the long-term benefits against the initial earnings when considering this career path.

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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.