Public Administration and Social Service Professions at College of Coastal Georgia

A bachelor's in public administration from College of Coastal Georgia comes with an estimated $27,000 in debt—moderate for a four-year degree—but peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $44,600. That 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within reasonable territory, meaning graduates typically owe less than two-thirds of their first-year salary. For a field focused on nonprofit management, social services, and government work, these numbers align with what most public service careers pay at entry level.

What's puzzling here is the drop to $39,059 by year four. Comparable programs nationally show similar starting salaries, but most public administration careers follow steady advancement paths as graduates gain experience and certifications. This dip could reflect the small graduate cohort (hence the suppressed data), temporary career transitions common in nonprofit work, or unique regional employment patterns in coastal Georgia. Without more graduates to analyze, it's hard to know whether this represents a real earnings trajectory or statistical noise.

For parents, the key question is whether public service work justifies the investment when early earnings may not climb as expected. The debt load is manageable, but if your student is committed to this field, investigate whether coastal Georgia's job market—heavy on tourism and light on government agencies—can support career growth, or if they'll need to relocate to metro Atlanta or other cities where public administration roles are more abundant and better compensated.