PlainCollege

State profile · 161 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in Georgia

Colleges in Georgia from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

161
Colleges
$41,058
Avg 10-yr earnings (141 of 161)
70.9%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

Georgia · the picture in one line

Georgia's 141 of 161 colleges that report earnings average $41,058 in 10-year former-student earnings - 33rd highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#33
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$106,192
top earnings - Miami Ad School-Atlanta
70.9%
avg acceptance (51 reporting)
61 / 42 / 58
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Georgia colleges with reported figures: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus.

Georgia · enrollment ≠ earnings

In Georgia, Kennesaw State University leads by undergraduate enrollment (41,254 students, #1 of 121) but ranks #12 of 121 on 10-year median earnings ($57,552), while Miami Ad School-Atlanta tops earnings at $106,192 (#1 of 121) with 65 students (#117 of 121). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

41,254
Kennesaw State enrollment #1
$106,192
Miami Ad earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#12
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of Georgia's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows Kennesaw State University is largest by enrollment; Miami Ad School-Atlanta leads on 10-year earnings at $106,192.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in Georgia returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Georgia as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in Georgia by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Georgia

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

Georgia colleges: earnings vs. cost

Georgia colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Georgia colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $32K $108K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $52K Avg Net Price ($) Kennesaw State University: $58K earn · $15K net · 50% grad Kennesaw State Uni… University of Georgia: $69K earn · $14K net · 89% grad University of Geor… Georgia State University: $47K earn · $16K net · 53% grad Georgia State Univ… Georgia Southern University: $53K earn · $15K net · 53% grad Georgia Southern U… Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus: $103K earn · $12K net · 93% grad Georgia Institute … University of North Georgia: $50K earn · $10K net · 37% grad University of Nort… Savannah College of Art and Design: $46K earn · $49K net · 70% grad Georgia State University-Perimeter College: $47K earn · $11K net · 22% grad Georgia Gwinnett College: $48K earn · $16K net · 21% grad Gwinnett Technical College: $45K earn · $7K net · 29% grad Chattahoochee Technical College: $37K earn · $3K net · 39% grad University of West Georgia: $50K earn · $13K net · 43% grad Emory University: $80K earn · $23K net · 91% grad Valdosta State University: $49K earn · $11K net · 42% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Georgia ranks among the states

Georgia's average 10-year earnings of $41,058 place it in the 41st percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Georgia: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$41,058 41st percentile higher than 41% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). Below this entry. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). This entry sits in this band. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. GA $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Georgia vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Georgia

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - Georgia

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
161
Total Schools
$13,988
Avg In-State Tuition (117 of 161)
70.9%
Avg Acceptance Rate (51 of 161)
$41,058
Avg Median Earnings (141 of 161)
61 Public 42 Private NP 58 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Georgia

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 161 postsecondary institutions in Georgia. The ownership mix is 61 public institutions, 42 private nonprofits, and 58 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 117 of 161 Georgia institutions that report one is $13,988, and the average admission rate among the 51 that report one sits at 70.9%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 141 of 161 Georgia colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $41,058, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in Georgia

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Public 41,254 69.2% $57,552
University of Georgia Athens Public 32,137 37.7% $68,726
Georgia State University Atlanta Public 26,623 55.4% $47,384
Georgia Southern University Statesboro Public 21,790 87.9% $53,236
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta Public 18,785 14.1% $102,772
University of North Georgia Dahlonega Public 16,146 67.9% $50,135
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah Private NP 15,243 83.0% $45,954
Georgia State University-Perimeter College Atlanta Public 13,693 90.8% $47,384
Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville Public 11,344 95.5% $47,730
Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville Public 8,728 - $45,025
Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta Public 8,727 - $37,138
University of West Georgia Carrollton Public 7,520 51.6% $49,587
Emory University Atlanta Private NP 7,298 10.7% $80,137
Valdosta State University Valdosta Public 6,622 72.3% $49,361
Middle Georgia State University Macon Public 6,574 99.7% $40,863
South University-Savannah Online Savannah For-Profit 6,433 - $34,421
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins Public 6,174 - $30,848
Albany State University Albany Public 5,956 - $40,674
Georgia College & State University Milledgeville Public 5,947 78.2% $58,140
Columbus State University Columbus Public 5,625 99.1% $44,544
Augusta University Augusta Public 5,613 86.4% $48,472
West Georgia Technical College Waco Public 5,163 - $35,479
Georgia Highlands College Rome Public 4,761 - $43,184
Lanier Technical College Gainesville Public 4,613 - $37,623
Dalton State College Dalton Public 4,553 - $40,251
Mercer University Macon Private NP 4,500 68.9% $58,354
Clayton State University Morrow Public 4,348 68.5% $49,179
Strayer University-Georgia Chamblee For-Profit 4,299 - $40,092
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome Public 4,244 - $35,759
Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin Public 4,098 - $36,104
Georgia Military College Milledgeville Public 3,992 - $39,257
Augusta Technical College Augusta Public 3,923 - $33,523
Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Public 3,875 - $30,350
Clark Atlanta University Atlanta Private NP 3,603 64.2% $42,712
Spelman College Atlanta Private NP 3,414 24.9% $59,993
Savannah Technical College Savannah Public 3,366 - $33,018
Athens Technical College Athens Public 3,318 - $35,951
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton Public 3,208 75.7% $34,996
Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville Public 3,098 - $31,293
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick Public 2,979 98.1% $39,318
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta Public 2,887 - $30,864
Morehouse College Atlanta Private NP 2,844 44.0% $52,889
Savannah State University Savannah Public 2,833 - $37,981
Columbus Technical College Columbus Public 2,719 - $34,238
Fort Valley State University Fort Valley Public 2,684 65.9% $36,666
Gordon State College Barnesville Public 2,544 85.9% $37,871
Georgia Southwestern State University Americus Public 2,424 75.2% $48,757
Berry College Mount Berry Private NP 2,245 64.0% $53,800
Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston Public 2,198 - $34,619
Albany Technical College Albany Public 2,029 - $30,541
Point University West Point Private NP 1,996 44.3% $38,740
Chamberlain University-Georgia Sandy Springs For-Profit 1,940 91.4% $92,405
North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville Public 1,910 - $32,932
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Public 1,820 - $31,248
Oconee Fall Line Technical College Sandersville Public 1,708 - $30,899
Coastal Pines Technical College Waycross Public 1,648 - $30,214
South Georgia State College Douglas Public 1,466 - $35,697
East Georgia State College Swainsboro Public 1,413 - $37,174
South Georgia Technical College Americus Public 1,407 - $30,364
Oglethorpe University Atlanta Private NP 1,352 88.4% $55,232
Atlanta Metropolitan State College Atlanta Public 1,228 - $33,252
United Education Institute-Morrow Morrow For-Profit 1,160 - $31,141
Piedmont University Demorest Private NP 1,117 93.3% $49,130
Reinhardt University Waleska Private NP 1,066 61.5% $46,541
Brenau University Gainesville Private NP 1,029 87.8% $54,003
Shorter University Rome Private NP 1,028 96.5% $44,604
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Public 1,008 - $30,329
Thomas University Thomasville Private NP 998 38.3% $49,716
Emory University-Oxford College Oxford Private NP 967 13.1% $80,137
Covenant College Lookout Mountain Private NP 939 86.5% $50,412
United Education Institute-Stone Mountain Stone Mountain For-Profit 911 - $27,688
Life University Marietta Private NP 893 93.0% $47,397
Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls Private NP 875 66.0% $36,630
Agnes Scott College Decatur Private NP 836 62.2% $56,274
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta Duluth For-Profit 824 - $48,191
Emmanuel University Franklin Springs Private NP 775 74.0% $38,208
Brewton-Parker Christian University Mount Vernon Private NP 774 96.5% $42,009
Young Harris College Young Harris Private NP 755 62.6% $47,195
Truett McConnell University Cleveland Private NP 744 78.3% $46,700
American InterContinental University-Atlanta Atlanta For-Profit 734 - $36,144
Elaine Sterling Institute Atlanta For-Profit 641 - -
LaGrange College Lagrange Private NP 636 62.1% $51,745
Lincoln College of Technology-East Point East Point For-Profit 627 - $38,683
Fortis College-Smyrna Smyrna For-Profit 607 - $36,368
Lincoln College of Technology-Marietta Marietta For-Profit 538 - $31,914
Interactive College of Technology-Chamblee Chamblee For-Profit 521 - $27,065
DeVry University-Georgia Decatur For-Profit 516 100.0% $45,987
Georgia Career Institute Conyers For-Profit 515 - $23,686
Miller-Motte College-Augusta Augusta For-Profit 506 - $31,102
Andrew College Cuthbert Private NP 473 45.7% $38,475
Morris Brown College Atlanta Private NP 432 - -
Wesleyan College Macon Private NP 400 59.1% $44,317
Paine College Augusta Private NP 388 95.4% $33,338
Herzing University-Atlanta Atlanta Private NP 387 93.8% $36,909
Paul Mitchell the School-Esani Roswell For-Profit 359 - $26,287
Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service Decatur Private NP 338 - $42,636
South University-Savannah Savannah For-Profit 270 - $34,421
Atlanta Institute of Music and Media Duluth For-Profit 248 - $31,186
International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy Sandy Springs For-Profit 246 - $25,452
Empire Beauty School-Morrow Morrow For-Profit 242 - $24,397
Miller-Motte College-Macon Macon For-Profit 230 - $31,102
Gwinnett College-Marietta Campus Marietta For-Profit 205 - $25,373
Georgia Institute of Cosmetology Athens For-Profit 200 - $21,432
Miller-Motte College-Columbus Columbus For-Profit 190 - $31,102
Helms College Augusta Private NP 183 - -
Luther Rice College & Seminary Lithonia Private NP 165 91.7% $47,003
Empire Beauty School-Kennesaw Kennesaw For-Profit 161 - $23,589
Gwinnett College-Lilburn Lilburn For-Profit 156 - $31,422
United States University Sandy Springs For-Profit 153 - $80,980
Rivertown School of Beauty Barber Skin Care and Nails Columbus For-Profit 150 - $22,139
Beulah Heights University Atlanta Private NP 138 - $35,236
Empire Beauty School-Gwinnett Lawrenceville For-Profit 130 - $23,589
Empire Beauty School-Savannah Savannah For-Profit 127 - $24,022
Empire Beauty School-Northlake Atlanta For-Profit 127 - $24,407
Interactive College of Technology-Morrow Morrow For-Profit 117 - $27,065
Keune Academy by 124 Lawrenceville For-Profit 117 - $30,962
Gwinnett College Roswell For-Profit 94 - $31,206
Shearz Institute Lithia Springs For-Profit 75 - -
Empire Beauty School-Augusta Augusta For-Profit 73 - $23,921
Hogan Institute of Cosmetology and Esthetics Lilburn For-Profit 69 - -
Pro Way Hair School Stone Mountain For-Profit 67 - $21,586
Miami Ad School-Atlanta Atlanta For-Profit 65 - $106,192
Grady Health System Professional Schools Atlanta Public 61 - $60,726
Interactive College of Technology-Gainesville Gainesville For-Profit 50 - $27,065
Institute of Medical Ultrasound Atlanta For-Profit 50 - -
Dalton Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology Dalton For-Profit 47 - -
Beaver Beauty Academy Decatur For-Profit 47 - -
College of Athens Watkinsville Private NP 44 - -
Augusta School of Massage Evans For-Profit 34 - $25,408
Profile Institute of Barber-Styling Atlanta For-Profit 34 - $25,629
Albany Beauty Academy Albany For-Profit 18 - -
Webb's Barber School of Arts Macon For-Profit 16 - -
MAK Beauty Institute Cumming For-Profit 11 - -
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School Atlanta Private NP - - -
Columbia Theological Seminary Decatur Private NP - - -
Interdenominational Theological Center Atlanta Private NP - - -
Morehouse School of Medicine Atlanta Private NP - - -
Galen Health Institutes-Savannah Pooler For-Profit - - $61,480
Style Mobb University School of Cosmetology College Park For-Profit - - -
Ogle School Hair Skin Nails-Atlanta Atlanta For-Profit - - $31,055
Elaine Sterling Institute-Dunwoody Dunwoody For-Profit - - -
Troy University-Support Sites Alpharetta Public - - $42,062
East Georgia State College - Statesboro Statesboro Public - - $37,174
East Georgia State College - Augusta Augusta Public - - $37,174
Columbia College - Fort Stewart Ft. Stewart Private NP - - $45,378
Columbia College - Hunter Army Airfield Hunter Army Airfield Private NP - - $45,378
South College-Atlanta Atlanta For-Profit - - $36,642
SAE Institute of Technology-Atlanta Atlanta For-Profit - - $39,544
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology Atlanta For-Profit - - $47,792
Strayer University-Morrow Campus Morrow For-Profit - - $40,092
Strayer University-Lithonia Campus Lithonia For-Profit - - $40,092
Strayer University-Augusta Campus Augusta For-Profit - - $40,092
Relay Graduate School of Education - Atlanta Atlanta Private NP - - -
Georgia Military College - Valdosta Valdosta Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Augusta Martinez Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Fairburn Fairburn Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Robins Warner Robins Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Columbus Columbus Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Madison Madison Public - - $39,257
Georgia Military College - Dublin Dublin Public - - $39,257
Virginia University of Integrative Medicine - Georgia Duluth Private NP - - -

Featured Colleges in Georgia

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
41,254 students
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
32,137 students
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
26,623 students
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
21,790 students
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA
18,785 students
Compare Kennesaw State University vs University of Georgia →

Explore more Georgia data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Georgia applicants

  • Georgia has 161 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Georgia colleges is 70.9% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.