Workforce-driven bachelor’s degrees from GHC earn graduates $1.4 million, study shows

A recent University System of Georgia (USG) economic impact study revealed that graduates who earn a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Highlands College (GHC) are projected to earn $1.4 million more in lifetime earnings.

President Mike Hobbs stated this finding reinforces the long-term value of a GHC education, noting that bachelor’s degrees from GHC are “workforce-driven” and “prepare students for high-demand, high-paying careers close to home.”

In its ongoing commitment to accessibility, GHC currently offers 10 low-cost bachelor’s degrees in traditional paths ranging from criminal justice to logistics and supply chain management, as well as budding new tech-focused pathways in the engineering and construction field like building information modeling management.

Additional bachelor’s degrees in teaching and healthcare are on deck to be added in the coming year.

“With most GHC students graduating debt-free,” Dr. Hobbs said, “the return on investment is even greater, proving that a GHC degree pays dividends not just in career success, but in lifelong opportunity.”

The Selig Center for Economic Growth report also shows a nearly $20 million increase in GHC’s total economic impact, generating a total of $185 million in economic impact in FY 2025.

This new total is added to the recent milestone of the college celebrating more than $2.5 billion in economic impact generated by Georgia Highlands College in the past 50 years.