Public institutions ranked on the same blended outcome score used in our overall list: graduation rate, retention, and graduate earnings. For Georgia residents these schools also pair with HOPE and Zell Miller awards.
Includes public 4-year institutions reporting graduation rate, retention, and earnings. Ranked by score. All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Schools that do not report the required fields are excluded rather than estimated — so absence from this list is not a judgment about the school.
| # | College | Score | In-State Tuition | Grad Rate | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA · Public |
0.917 | $12,058 | 94.0% | $102,772 |
| 2 | University of Georgia Athens, GA · Public |
0.778 | $11,450 | 89.7% | $68,726 |
| 3 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA · Public |
0.622 | $9,186 | 63.6% | $58,140 |
| 4 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA · Public |
0.566 | $5,808 | 52.2% | $57,552 |
| 5 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA · Public |
0.564 | $6,022 | 54.9% | $53,236 |
| 6 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA · Public |
0.543 | $8,664 | 53.1% | $47,384 |
| 7 | Augusta University Augusta, GA · Public |
0.521 | $8,414 | 48.8% | $48,472 |
| 8 | University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA · Public |
0.511 | $6,088 | 43.5% | $49,587 |
| 9 | Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA · Public |
0.492 | $6,124 | 42.4% | $49,361 |
| 10 | University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA · Public |
0.481 | $5,285 | 37.3% | $50,135 |
| 11 | Clayton State University Morrow, GA · Public |
0.481 | $5,180 | 39.9% | $49,179 |
| 12 | Columbus State University Columbus, GA · Public |
0.469 | $5,898 | 41.8% | $44,544 |
| 13 | Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA · Public |
0.462 | $5,526 | 41.1% | $36,666 |
| 14 | Georgia Southwestern State University Americus, GA · Public |
0.449 | $5,220 | 40.6% | $48,757 |
| 15 | Albany State University Albany, GA · Public |
0.441 | $5,656 | 31.1% | $40,674 |
| 16 | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, GA · Public |
0.416 | $3,268 | 36.1% | $34,996 |
| 17 | Savannah State University Savannah, GA · Public |
0.412 | $5,750 | 28.0% | $37,981 |
| 18 | Dalton State College Dalton, GA · Public |
0.400 | $3,336 | 25.3% | $40,251 |
| 19 | Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA · Public |
0.393 | $4,532 | 21.5% | $47,730 |
| 20 | Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA · Public |
0.388 | $5,038 | 25.3% | $40,863 |
| 21 | Gordon State College Barnesville, GA · Public |
0.326 | $3,628 | 20.4% | $37,871 |
Georgia Institute of Technology leads this ranking at 0.917. Former students there report a median income of $102,772 ten years after entering. Average net price runs $12,116 per year. See the full Georgia Institute of Technology profile →
No single metric identifies the right school for a given student. Earnings vary far more by major than by institution. Graduation rates partly reflect who a school admits, not only how well it teaches. Net price is an average across all income bands, and your actual offer may land well above or below it. Use this list to build a shortlist, then compare your real aid letters.
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