Real Estate at Georgia State University

Georgia State's real estate program lands squarely in the middle of Georgia's limited options but trails the national market by a meaningful margin. While $44,015 starting salary isn't terrible, it places graduates in just the 14th percentile nationally—and more than $10,000 behind what University of Georgia real estate graduates earn right out of the gate. Within Georgia, this program ranks at the 40th percentile, essentially the state median.

The positive news: debt loads are remarkably low compared to peer programs, ranking in the 5th percentile nationally. At $29,789, graduates owe about 30% less than the typical real estate student and roughly 70% of their first year's salary—a manageable burden. Earnings also show healthy growth, jumping 16% to reach $51,013 by year four. That upward trajectory matters in real estate, where relationships and local market knowledge compound over time.

The critical caveat is sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates reported data, which makes these numbers less reliable than larger programs. For families considering this path, the modest starting salary is offset by low debt and Georgia State's access to Atlanta's substantial commercial real estate market. Your child won't start at the top of the earnings ladder, but they'll climb it without crushing debt, and the program serves students well (half receive Pell grants, suggesting strong support for upward mobility). Just know they're not getting the same launch as UGA graduates.