Best Colleges in Georgia by ROI

Trying to find the best value in Georgia? We ranked all 51 colleges we track here on what graduates actually earn versus what families actually pay, using U.S. Department of Education data. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus comes out on top at 97/100 - here's how every school compares.

51
Schools
35
Avg ROI Score
$19,445
Avg Net Price
97
Top Score

We scored all 51 Georgia colleges in our dataset from 0 to 100 on one thing: financial return. The state averages 35/100, on an average net price of $19,445 a year after grants and scholarships. The school that does best by your money is Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus at 97/100.

Graduates of Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus earn the most ten years out of any school in the state, a median $102,772. The lightest price tag belongs to Dalton State College at $5,012 a year. The list below ranks every Georgia college we scored by ROI, so you can weigh what you'd pay against what you'd likely earn.

Top 10 Georgia Colleges by ROI Score

  1. 1Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA · Public97ROI
  2. 2Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · Private Nonprofit92ROI
  3. 3University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · Public88ROI
  4. 4Chamberlain University-GeorgiaSandy Springs, GA · Private For-Profit77ROI
  5. 5Georgia College & State UniversityMilledgeville, GA · Public62ROI
  6. 6University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, GA · Public61ROI
  7. 7Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA · Public60ROI
  8. 8Mercer UniversityMacon, GA · Private Nonprofit55ROI
  9. 9Augusta UniversityAugusta, GA · Public54ROI
  10. 10Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA · Public52ROI

Georgia College ROI: Common Questions

What is the best-value college in Georgia?

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus has the highest ROI score in Georgia at 97/100, while the lowest net price among Georgia schools we track is $5,012/year at Dalton State College. Rankings are based on net price and median graduate earnings from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

How much does college cost in Georgia?

The average net price across the 51 Georgia colleges in our dataset is $19,445 per year, after grants and scholarships are applied. Actual cost varies widely by family income and institution.

Which Georgia college has the highest graduate earnings?

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus reports the highest median earnings among Georgia schools we scored, at $102,772 ten years after enrollment. Higher earnings do not always mean better ROI, since cost matters just as much.

How many colleges in Georgia did CampusROI analyze?

We scored 51 colleges in Georgia on return on investment. Of those, 7 earn an ROI score of 60 or higher. See our methodology for how each score is calculated.

All Georgia Schools by ROI Score

51 schools

97

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA

Exceptional ValuePublic
Net Price
$12,116
Earnings
$102,772
Completion
94%
92

Emory University

Atlanta, GA

Exceptional ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$22,585
Earnings
$80,137
Completion
91%
88

University of Georgia

Athens, GA

Strong ValuePublic
Net Price
$13,936
Earnings
$68,726
Completion
90%
77

Chamberlain University-Georgia

Sandy Springs, GA

Strong ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$33,188
Earnings
$92,405
Completion
50%
62

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, GA

Fair ValuePublic
Net Price
$20,686
Earnings
$58,140
Completion
64%
61

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, GA

Fair ValuePublic
Net Price
$9,823
Earnings
$50,135
Completion
37%
60

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA

Fair ValuePublic
Net Price
$15,048
Earnings
$57,552
Completion
52%
55

Mercer University

Macon, GA

Below Average ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$23,847
Earnings
$58,354
Completion
70%
54

Augusta University

Augusta, GA

Below Average ValuePublic
Net Price
$13,787
Earnings
$48,472
Completion
49%
52

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA

Below Average ValuePublic
Net Price
$15,267
Earnings
$53,236
Completion
55%
48

Berry College

Mount Berry, GA

Below Average ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$22,320
Earnings
$53,800
Completion
69%
48

Oglethorpe University

Atlanta, GA

Below Average ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$19,509
Earnings
$55,232
Completion
54%
47

Covenant College

Lookout Mountain, GA

Below Average ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$26,265
Earnings
$50,412
Completion
71%
46

Clayton State University

Morrow, GA

Below Average ValuePublic
Net Price
$8,365
Earnings
$49,179
Completion
40%
46

Georgia Southwestern State University

Americus, GA

Below Average ValuePublic
Net Price
$12,019
Earnings
$48,757
Completion
41%
45

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA

Below Average ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$24,754
Earnings
$56,274
Completion
71%
42

Valdosta State University

Valdosta, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$10,945
Earnings
$49,361
Completion
42%
41

Brenau University

Gainesville, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$18,924
Earnings
$54,003
Completion
33%
41

Dalton State College

Dalton, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$5,012
Earnings
$40,251
Completion
25%
41

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$15,931
Earnings
$47,384
Completion
53%
40

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$12,786
Earnings
$49,587
Completion
43%
37

LaGrange College

Lagrange, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$20,875
Earnings
$51,745
Completion
47%
37

Thomas University

Thomasville, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$18,499
Earnings
$49,716
Completion
28%
35

Piedmont University

Demorest, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$20,599
Earnings
$49,130
Completion
47%
34

Georgia Gwinnett College

Lawrenceville, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$15,844
Earnings
$47,730
Completion
21%
31

Life University

Marietta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$29,791
Earnings
$47,397
Completion
38%
29

Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$39,013
Earnings
$52,889
Completion
59%
27

Reinhardt University

Waleska, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$24,425
Earnings
$46,541
Completion
44%
26

Savannah College of Art and Design

Savannah, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$49,430
Earnings
$45,954
Completion
69%
24

Columbus State University

Columbus, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$13,115
Earnings
$44,544
Completion
42%
24

Paine College

Augusta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$16,670
Earnings
$33,338
Completion
14%
24

Shorter University

Rome, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$16,646
Earnings
$44,604
Completion
38%
24

Wesleyan College

Macon, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$12,724
Earnings
$44,317
Completion
45%
24

Young Harris College

Young Harris, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$22,034
Earnings
$47,195
Completion
42%
23

Truett McConnell University

Cleveland, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$22,227
Earnings
$46,700
Completion
38%
22

College of Coastal Georgia

Brunswick, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$15,261
Earnings
$39,318
Completion
26%
21

Middle Georgia State University

Macon, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$12,361
Earnings
$40,863
Completion
25%
20

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$6,842
Earnings
$34,996
Completion
36%
20

DeVry University-Georgia

Decatur, GA

Poor ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$28,229
Earnings
$45,987
Completion
13%
16

Toccoa Falls College

Toccoa Falls, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$21,642
Earnings
$36,630
Completion
44%
14

Albany State University

Albany, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$11,898
Earnings
$40,674
Completion
31%
14

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$37,702
Earnings
$42,712
Completion
49%
13

Brewton-Parker College

Mount Vernon, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$26,054
Earnings
$42,009
Completion
21%
12

Emmanuel University

Franklin Springs, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$20,925
Earnings
$38,208
Completion
42%
11

Herzing University-Atlanta

Atlanta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate Nonprofit
Net Price
$21,679
Earnings
$36,909
Completion
14%
10

Savannah State University

Savannah, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$8,172
Earnings
$37,981
Completion
28%
9

Fort Valley State University

Fort Valley, GA

Poor ValuePublic
Net Price
$10,338
Earnings
$36,666
Completion
41%
9

Strayer University-Georgia

Chamblee, GA

Poor ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$18,318
Earnings
$40,092
Completion
21%
7

South University-Savannah

Savannah, GA

Poor ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$28,743
Earnings
$34,421
Completion
9%
7

American InterContinental University-Atlanta

Atlanta, GA

Poor ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$16,482
Earnings
$36,144
Completion
21%
7

South University-Savannah Online

Savannah, GA

Poor ValuePrivate For-Profit
Net Price
$28,049
Earnings
$34,421
Completion
7%

Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release