Online Schools in Georgia

Georgia's cost of living was among the lowest in the country in 2010, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center reports. With wages in the state near the national average, according to 2009 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who live and work in Georgia can afford more. In fact, Georgia ranks seventh on Money-Rates.com's list of "Ten Best States for Making a Living." The Money-Rates data incorporates not only average wages but also your chances of finding a job, how much of a bite is taken by state taxes, and the purchasing power your income would have, considering the cost of living.

Georgia's cost of living was among the lowest in the country in 2010, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center reports. With wages in the state near the national average, according to 2009 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, those who live and work in Georgia can afford more. In fact, Georgia ranks seventh on Money-Rates.com's list of "Ten Best States for Making a Living." The Money-Rates data incorporates not only average wages but also your chances of finding a job, how much of a bite is taken by state taxes, and the purchasing power your income would have, considering the cost of living.

Data compiled by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia shows growth in certain sectors of Georgia's job market in 2011. Areas expected to expand include manufacturing (up 2 percent), transportation and utilities (up 1.5 percent), information (up 0.8 percent), professional and business services (up 3.5 percent), education and health services (up 3.1 percent), and leisure and hospitality (up 0.6 percent). Areas to avoid are construction (down 4.6 percent), financial activities (down 1.1 percent), and government (down 1.1 percent).

Georgia's Best Jobs and How to Get Them

According to CNNMoney, Georgia boasts a number of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," including Aflac, Alston and Bird, Bright Horizons, CarMax, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, Men's Wearhouse, PCL Construction, and Quiktrip. Within the healthiest sectors of Georgia's economy, some occupations provide a better living than others. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from 2009, some of the top jobs are:

• Physical therapist (PT) or physical therapy assistant (PTA). You must earn an entry level degree in a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy or physical therapy assistant program and pass a national licensing exam. Nationwide, hiring for PTAs is expected to grow much faster than average (35 percent between 2008 and 2018). In Georgia, PTAs earned a mean annual salary of $48,680 in 2009. PTs generally possess advanced degrees and earned a mean wage of $76,530 in the state.
• Logistician. These careers are growing at a much faster than average clip, and Warner Robins, Ga. --home to the Air Force's Warner Robins Air Logistics Center--boasts a high concentration of these jobs. Logisticians are responsible for acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, delivery and final disposal of resources used in production. A bachelor's degree in logistics or operations management gets you started, and logisticians earned a mean annual wage of $67,750 in Georgia.
• Computer systems analysts make the list of Georgia's top jobs for 2011 compiled by the Georgia Department of Labor. With over 1,000 annual opening projected, computer systems analysts help coordinate technology for businesses and other organizations. A bachelor's degree pays off in this field, with a mean annual wage of $81,220 in the state.

Georgia's Higher Education "Highly Exclusionary"

According to a study by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, "Georgia has a greater proportion than the national average of adults with college degrees, a source of some pride and a rarity amongst Southern states." Unfortunately, Georgia's 18- to 24-year-olds are far less likely to participate in higher education than that age group nationwide. Fewer than 14 of every 100 entering high school students earn a college degree within 10 years, which is significantly below the U.S. average. Georgia spends more per student than the average U.S. state on its public schools, yet the attrition rate once in college is also higher. The study concludes that state-subsidized Georgia colleges do a poor job at providing access to higher education to its less affluent students, and that the schools that receive the most state funding tend also to be "highly exclusionary."

However, there are bright spots. According to the study, the state's for-profit schools often are "innovative, efficient, and offer students choices not otherwise available." They also do a better job of using the resources they have, operating at a far lower cost per student.

Getting Ahead with Georgia's Online Schools

One of the innovations used in Georgia's state-supported and for-profit schools is online classes. In Georgia, online degree programs allow students access to the education they want regardless of where they live. You don't need to quit a good job or uproot your family; online colleges in Georgia let you study at home, wherever that may be. You avoid the cost of commuting to school and can arrange your coursework around the rest of your life. This flexibility can help you become one of the 14 percent of Georgia students who complete their degrees in good time and get on with their careers.