Careers, Jobs and Education Resources for: Georgia

 Georgia Fast Facts:

Location, Location, Location…:  Located in the southern region of the country, Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River in terms of land area, although it is only the fourth largest (after Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin) in total area.

Cities:  Atlanta is the capital and the most populous city, while Savannah has been called “this nation’s most beautiful city.”

Behind the Name:  Georgia is known as the “Peach State” and the “Empire State of the South.”

A Closer Look:  One of the original Thirteen Colonies, Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the Constitution on January 2, 1788. Subsequently, it was one of the original seven Confedeate states and declared its secession from the Union on January 21, 1861.

Did You Know?  The famous Margaret Mitchell novel Gone With the Wind was written in Georgia, and Atlanta served host to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Georgia Careers and Employment:

Population:  9,685,744 (18.3% increase since 2000) – 50.8% Female, 49.2% Male (2008 U.S. Census Bureau).

Business Environment:  Ranked 5^th in Forbes Magazine’s “Best States for Business,” 2008.

Top Industries:  In terms of paid employees, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study: (1) manufacturing; (2) retial trade; (3) health care and social assistance; (4) accommodation and food services; and (5) administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.

Taxes:  Income Tax, 1.0% to 6.0% and Sales Tax, 4% (Federation of Tax Administrators).

Cost of Living:  91.4 in relation to the “National Average” of 100 (Federal Cost of Living Index).

Quality of Life:  Ranked 42^nd of 50 states by CNBC, 2009.

Weather:  Average Temperature (In °F) – Jan: 45.77; Apr: 62.73; July: 80.08; Oct: 64.00 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

K-12:  Ranked 39^th of 50 states in “Academic Achievement” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2009.

Georgia Economics:

In General:  While rural parts of the state are still agricultural, Georgia’s workforce focuses on several diverse industries, with the largest sectors being the service industry (34%), manufacturing (15%), and military and government services (13%).

Service Industry:  Georgia’s service sector is led by wholesale (food, petroleum products, transportation equipment) and retail (automobile dealerships, discount stores, grocery stores, restaurants) trade activities. Community, business and personal services, including doctors’ offices, private hospitals, hotels, and law firms, rank second in the services sector.

Agriculture:  In terms of revenue, Georgia’s top five agricultural products are broilers (young chickens), cotton, cattle and calves, chicken eggs and peanuts.

Manufacturing:  Processed foods and beverages (baked goods, beer, packaged chicken, peanut butter) lead in the manufacturing sector, followed by textiles (carpeting, cotton and synthetic fabrics, tire cord, yarn).

Mining:  Georgia is among the leading producers of crushed stone and building stone. Granite is its most important quarried stone but limestone and marble are also quarried in Georgia.

Did You Know?  ‘Clay Nation’:  Georgia ranks first in the production of clay and kaolin and is a leading producer of fuller’s earth.

Georgia Education:

Find Colleges and Universities in Georgia, here.

Sources:  In addition to specific citations noted in this “Career Information” section, supplementary source materials include:  the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service; Netstate.com; Education-Portal.com; USCollegeSearch.org; and Wikipedia.com.