Head-to-head comparison
Savannah College of Art and Design vs Athens Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Savannah, GA
Savannah College of Art and Design
- Net price / year
- $49,430
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,954
- 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 Savannah College of Art and Design comes closer — median earnings $45,954 against a $197,720 total, vs $35,951 at Athens Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Savannah College of Art and Design | Athens Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $49,430 | $6,949 |
| Total net cost | $197,720 | $27,796 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,954 | $35,951 |
| Median debt | $25,148 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$245,840 | -$275,976 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Savannah College of Art and Design or Athens Technical College?
Athens Technical College, at $6,949 a year after aid versus $49,430 — a gap of $42,481 a year, or $169,924 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 Savannah College of Art and Design or Athens Technical College graduates earn more?
Savannah College of Art and Design graduates report a median $45,954 ten years after entry, $10,003 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?
69% of students finish at Savannah College of Art and Design, against 51% at Athens Technical 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.