Athens Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Athens Technical College charges a net price of $6,949/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $27,796. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,951, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Athens Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #61 of 100 Georgia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,949/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $27,796 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,951 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,409/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$275,976 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Athens Technical College's own numbers. Net price $6,949 × 4 years = $27,796 total. Median earnings $35,951 fall $12,409 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $27,796 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Athens Technical College students graduate?
51% finish their degree — 49% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,796 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $54,502 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Athens Technical College expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $6,949 net price runs $8,726 below the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, and $34,904 less across the full degree.