UGA vs Georgia State vs Georgia Tech: Which Institution Pays More for Administrative Roles?
If you're job hunting across the University System of Georgia's three flagship universities, salary is probably one of your first questions. The answer isn't always what people expect — and it varies significantly by role type.
We pulled salary data from all active job postings on USG Jobs as of May 2025 to give you a real, data-backed comparison. Here's what we found.
The Short Answer
Active Job Postings: By the Numbers
| Institution | Open Positions | Postings with Salary | Avg. Admin Salary | Admin Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia State University | 271 | 255 (94%) | $82,685 | $50K–$146K |
| Georgia Tech | 444 | 147 (33%) | $65,745 | $40K–$175K |
| University of Georgia (UGA) | 1,136 | 684 (60%) | $45,189 | $36K–$76K |
Data based on all active job postings as of May 2025. "Administrative" includes coordinator, specialist, manager, director, office, and program roles.
Administrative Salary at a Glance
Why Georgia State Leads on Admin Pay
Georgia State's administrative salary average of $82,685 is nearly $40,000 higher than UGA's $45,189 — a gap that surprises many job seekers. Several factors explain this:
Atlanta metro cost of living. Georgia State sits in the heart of downtown Atlanta and competes with private-sector employers for administrative talent. That competition pushes salaries higher than what you'd see at a regional institution in a smaller market.
High salary transparency. With 94% of postings including compensation data, Georgia State makes it easy to compare roles. Salaries range from $50,100 (entry-level administrative coordinator) to $146,150 (senior director-level roles).
Strong mix of mid-to-senior roles. Georgia State's current openings skew toward experienced hires — program managers, financial analysts, student services directors — which pulls the average up compared to UGA's broader entry-level volume.
What Georgia Tech Offers
Georgia Tech's admin average of $65,745 sits between the other two, and its salary range is the widest — from $40,000 up to $175,000 for senior technical program roles. Tech-adjacent positions like "Research Program Manager" and "Grants Coordinator" command the highest pay. However, Tech only publishes salary on 33% of postings, so many roles require going through the interview process before compensation is discussed.
UGA: Volume and Entry-Level Access
UGA's administrative average of $45,189 is the lowest of the three, but UGA offers something the others don't: sheer volume. With 1,136 open positions and salary data on 60% of them, UGA is the easiest place to benchmark pay and find entry-level administrative roles. Salaries cluster between $36,000 and $76,000 for most staff positions, with higher pay for IT management and director-level roles. See all current UGA openings →
Role-by-Role Breakdown at UGA (the Benchmark)
| Job Family | Avg. Salary | Salary Range | Sample Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT & Engineering | $142,498* | $39K–$897K | Systems Analyst, Dev Lead |
| Faculty & Instruction | $69,795 | $53K–$85K | Lecturer, Instructor |
| Administrative & Staff | $57,833 | $13K–$170K | Coordinator, Specialist, Director |
| Public Safety | $57,500 | $45K–$70K | Police Officer, Sergeant |
| Student Services | $50,250 | $40K–$71K | Academic Advisor, Financial Aid Counselor |
| Healthcare | $52,105 | $32K–$85K | Clinical Staff, Dental Assistant |
| Research & Science | $49,708 | $22K–$100K | Research Associate, Lab Specialist |
| Facilities & Trades | $41,447 | $35K–$60K | Maintenance Tech, Custodian |
*IT average skewed by a small number of very high-paying senior roles. Midpoint for most IT roles is $65K–$95K. Data from active UGA postings, May 2025.
So Which Institution Should You Target?
The answer depends on what you're looking for:
If salary transparency matters to you: Georgia State is actually the standout — 94% of postings include compensation, the highest of the three. UGA is second at 60%. Georgia Tech only discloses salary on a third of its listings.
If you're aiming for the highest administrative pay: Georgia State leads with an $82,685 average for admin roles, followed by Georgia Tech at $65,745. Both are significantly higher than UGA's $45,189, reflecting the Atlanta metro market.
If you want sheer volume and entry-level options: UGA has the most open positions by far — over 1,100 at any given time — across virtually every administrative function, including many entry-level roles that are hard to find at the other two.
If location is a factor: Georgia State and Georgia Tech are both in central Atlanta. UGA is in Athens — a lower cost of living that can offset a lower headline salary, particularly for housing and daily expenses.
What About the Other 23 USG Institutions?
Don't overlook the rest of the system. Kennesaw State, Augusta University, and Georgia Southern all post hundreds of roles and offer competitive salaries — particularly for administrative professionals who prefer suburban or smaller-city settings. Kennesaw State's admin average is $74,894, and Columbus State's is $79,262, both higher than UGA's $56,031 for comparable admin roles.
Ready to find your next role?
Browse current openings at each institution directly:
Or browse all 4,400+ USG jobs →Data sourced from public job postings on official USG institution career portals, aggregated by USG Jobs. Salary figures reflect postings active as of May 2025 that included compensation information. Not all institutions publish salary data. USG Jobs is independent and not affiliated with the University System of Georgia.