Dalton State College
Dalton, Georgia · Public
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Dalton State College earns the Below Benchmark tier with an ROI score of 41 out of 100. The Dalton, Georgia public regional college is a striking example of a low-cost institution where institutional metrics underperform despite genuinely affordable economics. In-state tuition is just $3,336 (out-of-state $10,656), with a net price of $5,012 making four-year cost-of-attendance only $20,048. Average 6-year earnings of $28,000 produce a 30.5-year payback period despite the low cost, because earnings are simply too low to recoup costs at typical break-even calculations. The dominant problem is the 25.3% completion rate: three out of four students don't finish, and many leave with debt despite low tuition. Where the program-level data shows up, results are surprisingly strong: B+ ROI grades on biology and criminal justice, A on nursing, B on accounting and business administration. Dalton State works for completers; the systemic issue is getting students to graduation.
How Dalton State College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate25.3% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period30.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Dalton State College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $3,336/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $10,656/yr |
| Average net price | $5,012/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $20,048 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,251 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $12,937 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $137 |
| Estimated payback period | 30.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 25.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,553 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $3,336/year ($10,656/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $5,012/year, or roughly $20,048 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $3,962/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $10,055/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $12,937, which works out to about $137 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,000) and comes to 0.46, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $3,962 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $3,788 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,042 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $8,114 |
| $110,001+ | $10,055 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30K pay $3,962 net annually, with $30,001-48,000 households paying slightly less at $3,788. Those four-year totals of $15K-$16K are genuinely affordable. Pell-eligible students with clear program direction get exceptional value here if they complete.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $6,042 to $8,114 net annually.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $10,055 net annually, or about $40K over four years. The institution's value at this income tier depends entirely on completion: if the student finishes in a strong-ROI major, the math works; if not, they have debt and no degree.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Dalton State College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,331 | B |
| Teacher Education | $45,604 | C+ |
| Biology | $47,218 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $48,341 | B+ |
| Psychology | $41,357 | C |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $29,594 | - |
| Accounting | $66,902 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $84,253 | A |
| Social Work | $47,420 | - |
| English Language and Literature | $45,747 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing has 19 graduates per year and earns the only A ROI grade at Dalton State. First-year median earnings of $78,830 climb modestly to $84,253 by year four, against $17,312 median debt for an exceptional 0.22 debt-to-earnings ratio. Northwest Georgia and Chattanooga regional nursing labor markets are tight, and Dalton State's clinical partnerships drive consistent placement. This is the strongest financial outcome on campus.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Dalton State's largest cohort with 91 graduates per year. First-year earnings of $43,424 climb to $60,331 by year four, against $18,810 median debt for a 0.433 debt-to-earnings ratio and B ROI grade.
Accounting
Accounting has 21 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $51,841 climbing to $66,902 by year four. With $20,582 median debt the 0.397 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade. Strong CPA pathway preparation at very low cost makes this a strong-value accounting program.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice has 33 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $37,856 climbing to $48,341 by year four. With just $10,550 median debt the 0.279 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B+ ROI grade. The very low debt load makes this an attractive pathway for students entering Georgia state and federal law enforcement careers, where compensation is structurally moderate but the credential is required for advancement.
Biology
Biology has 42 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $30,839 climbing to $47,218 by year four. With just $10,323 median debt the 0.335 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B+ ROI grade.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 45.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 52.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Dalton State College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 4,553 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,570 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. SAT and ACT scores are also not reported. The 25.3% completion rate combined with the broad-access mission reflects a regional Georgia population including many first-generation college students, working adults, and ESL learners from Dalton's substantial Hispanic community.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Dalton State's ROI score is 41.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton State College (this school) | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | 43 | $16,244 | $47,885 |
| McNeese State University | 42 | $12,493 | $46,453 |
| Northeastern State University | 39 | $12,710 | $45,379 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | 20 | $6,842 | $34,996 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
Who Thrives Here
Dalton State fits in-state Georgia students from northwest Georgia and the Chattanooga area seeking very affordable public education with clear program tracks, particularly in nursing, accounting, business, and criminal justice. With 4,553 enrolled and a 49.9% Pell rate, the institution serves a heavily working-class and first-generation population. Best fit for committed students with clear major direction; high risk for unprepared or undecided students given the 25.3% completion rate that means most entrants don't graduate. Hispanic-Serving Institution status is a real differentiator for that community.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Dalton State College scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $5,012 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,251 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 30.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 25.3% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $12,937 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Dalton State College: Common Questions
Is Dalton State College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Dalton State College scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $5,012 a year after aid against $40,251 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 30.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Dalton State College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $5,012 a year, or roughly $20,048 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Dalton State College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,251 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Dalton State College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 30.5 years for Dalton State College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Dalton State College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $12,937, against average earnings of $28,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Dalton State College?
The six-year graduation rate is 25.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.