Head-to-head comparison
Georgia Gwinnett College vs Athens Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Lawrenceville, GA
Georgia Gwinnett College
- Net price / year
- $15,844
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,730
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Athens, GA
Athens Technical College
- Net price / year
- $6,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,951
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Georgia Gwinnett College comes closer — median earnings $47,730 against a $63,376 total, vs $35,951 at Athens Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Georgia Gwinnett College | Athens Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,844 | $6,949 |
| Total net cost | $63,376 | $27,796 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,730 | $35,951 |
| Median debt | $20,076 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$75,976 | -$275,976 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Georgia Gwinnett College or Athens Technical College?
Athens Technical College, at $6,949 a year after aid versus $15,844 — a gap of $8,895 a year, or $35,580 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Georgia Gwinnett College or Athens Technical College graduates earn more?
Georgia Gwinnett College graduates report a median $47,730 ten years after entry, $11,779 more than the $35,951 at Athens Technical College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
51% of students finish at Athens Technical College, against 21% at Georgia Gwinnett College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.