ROI Major

Animal Sciences at University of Georgia

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 01.09

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Animal Sciences degree from University of Georgia earn a median salary of $57,244 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $63,253. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.1 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$41,445

Typical Career

$57,244

Top Performers

$80,163

Estimated break-even: 9.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$382

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,770. Most students can comfortably afford about a $382 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x 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: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.5%
Educational Services 17.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 11.7%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$63,253

Nominal: $57,244 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).

9.1 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 $23,735 $32,639 $45,780
5 Years After Graduation $41,445 $57,244 $80,163
10 Years After Graduation $54,339 $81,200 $115,975

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 $57,244 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)
= $57,244 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $63,253 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Georgia experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $32,639, which increases to $57,244 after five years and reaches $81,200 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $63,253.04, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive income relative to their peers across the country.

The top industries for Animal Sciences graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.5%), Educational Services (17.1%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (11.7%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 9.1 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to recoup, the long-term return on investment appears favorable. Overall, pursuing a degree in Animal Sciences offers a solid career pathway with potential for growth in various sectors.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Animal Sciences degree at University of Georgia stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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