World-Class Talent Pool

Atlanta provides you with access to world-class talent. The region’s healthy job growth, top ranking colleges and universities and vibrant economy continue to attract and retain the well-trained and highly-skilled workers that employers need to be competitive.

• Growing labor market and job opportunities
• Top-ranked colleges & universities
• Strong talent attraction and retention
• HOPE Scholarship
• Robust workforce development programs and public-private partnerships

Job and Workforce Growth Outpaces Nation

Metro Atlanta is one the largest regions in the nation and the economic engine of the Southeast. Atlanta boasts an annual job growth rate of nearly 2%, about double the national average. This places Atlanta among the top markets nationally for annual growth. With a labor force 3.4 million strong, metro Atlanta represents the 7th largest labor market in the nation. Atlanta has also historically ranked in the upper echelon of metro areas for annual job creation.

Strong In-Migration

A significant portion of metro Atlanta’s population growth is attributed to in-migration. The Atlanta region welcomes approximately 75 new residents every day. Atlanta's global appeal continues to strengthen its workforce and competitive advantage. The region attracts talent from across the U.S. and around the world, providing companies with access to the skills and perspectives needed to thrive. Since 2020, about 70% of net migration was driven by new international residents.

New residents are drawn to Atlanta from across the globe and throughout the nation, reinforcing the region's reputation as a premier destination for talent and opportunity. Some of the top areas that Atlanta’s immigrants are from include Mexico, India, Jamaica, China, Vietnam, and Korea.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey

Young, Educated Professionals

About 45% of the region’s population (age 25+) holds a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 37% nationally. The region is also successful in attracting young, educated professionals from out-of-state and abroad, with many new residents hailing from Miami, Los Angles, Chicago, New York, and other Georgia communities.

Continuous Pipeline of Talent

Atlanta’s large concentration of degree-seeking students and top-tier colleges and universities make the area one of the country’s richest in top-level talent.

Notable regional institutions include:

• Emory University: Global Health, Law, Management
• Georgia Institute of Technology: Engineering, Research & Development, Supply Chain
• Georgia State University: Creative Media, FinTech, Business
• Kennesaw State University: Cyber, FinTech, Professional Sales
• University of Georgia: Business, Engineering, Research & Development

Atlanta is also home to the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC), the world’s oldest and largest association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), located just two miles from downtown Atlanta. Spelman College and Morehouse College, the #1 and #3 ranked HBCUs are both part of the AUCC.

Strong Talent Retention

Atlanta's home-grown talent pool is bolstered by about two million students attending schools within a 250-mile radius of Atlanta, many of whom relocate to the region after graduation. The region is also home to many Southeastern universities' most sizable alumni associations.

HOPE Scholarship: Tuition-Free College for Georgia's Brightest Students

Since 1993, Georgia's HOPE Program has helped make higher education more affordable through scholarships and grants funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education.

Academically qualified Georgia students may receive tuition assistance through the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarship programs at eligible in-state colleges and universities.

Voluntary Pre-K: Georgia’s youngest students have access to free quality Pre-K programs, giving them early learning advantages that prepare them for greater success long-term.

Learners to Earners

From learners to earners, metro Atlanta's primary and secondary schools prepare students for a productive future. Metro Atlanta's education network serves more than one million students through 37 public school systems and approximately 350 private schools, helping to build a strong future workforce pipeline.

STEM Programs

Schools in metro Atlanta offer unique STEM opportunities – from robotics competitions to math and science discovery programs – for students in each stage of their educational careers. Examples of impactful STEM programs outside of the traditional classroom setting that are unique to Atlanta include:

• Atlanta Science Festival: Brings together students of all ages to celebrate science in Atlanta with more than 100 hands-on exhibits and performances.
• GeorgiaFIRST Robotics: Statewide initiative that encourages young people to become science and technology leaders through engagement in mentor-based programs that build STEM skills to inspire innovation and foster well-rounded capabilities.
• WIT Girls Program: Inspires the next generation of technology leaders through career exploration, hands-on learning experiences, and mentorship from industry professionals.

Other Notable Programs

• Coding as a Foreign Language: Computer science courses can satisfy high school students' foreign language graduation requirement.
• Dual Enrollment: Provides opportunities for Georgia high school students to take college-level courses and earn concurrent credit toward a high school diploma and a college degree.
• Georgia Dual Language Immersion Program: Enrolled students spend at least half of their school day learning in a target language and the other half in English at one of more than 40 schools across the region.
• Work-Based Learning: Combination of academic curriculum and work experiences with local private businesses and public entities.

Cost of Business in Georgia

When you choose a location for your business, you’re investing in more than just your company–you’re also investing in the community. Invest with confidence in Georgia, knowing that your return will be supported by our state’s affordability and financial stability.

• #1 State for Business
• Low cost of doing business among major metros
• Pro-business regulatory environment

Atlanta’s moderate office rents, labor costs and other business expenses offer a distinct competitive advantage to local companies, whether they do business in the U.S. or abroad. These costs are often lower in metro Atlanta than in other major U.S. markets.

Friendly Regulatory Environment

Georgia's friendly tax structure and below average operating costs coupled with the other incentives make it attractive to companies. Labor laws and other relevant business regulations are not more stringent than federal requirements, benefiting corporate headquarters.

The state's corporate income tax is among the lowest in the nation and is based on a single-factor apportionment weighted solely on sales receipts in Georgia. Georgia local governments primarily rely on ad valorem property taxes and voter-approved local sales and use taxes for general tax revenue. Georgia municipalities are not authorized to levy a local income tax.

Additionally, a variety of tax reduction programs and business incentives are available to companies that relocate to or expand in Georgia.