Marketing at Georgia Southwestern State University

The small sample size here is crucial—with fewer than 30 graduates, these numbers could swing dramatically with just a few data points. That said, the earnings of $38,580 fall $4,000 below Georgia's median for marketing programs and nearly $6,000 below the national average. While this program lands at the 40th percentile among Georgia schools, it still trails the state's major programs by $8,000 to $13,000 annually. The debt load of $24,123 is actually slightly better than state and national norms, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63.

For perspective, Georgia Southwestern serves a largely rural, price-sensitive population (41% receive Pell grants), so the modest debt matters. But the earnings gap is real—graduates here start roughly where they'd finish at stronger programs in the state system after a few years of raises. The 77% admission rate and lower average SAT scores suggest this may serve students with fewer options, which provides value in its own right.

Given the data uncertainty and meaningful earnings gap, this makes sense primarily for students who need to stay local or prefer a smaller campus environment in southwest Georgia. If your child can access UGA, Georgia Southern, or Kennesaw State without significantly more debt, those programs show substantially stronger earning outcomes worth the logistics.