Georgia Southwestern State University
Americus, Georgia · Public · 75.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Georgia Southwestern State University earns a 46 ROI score in Below Average Value tier. In-state tuition is just $5,220 but net price after aid is $12,019, with four-year total cost at $48,076. The mismatch between low tuition and higher net price reflects room/board and the relatively limited institutional aid budget. Median earnings ten years out are $48,757 against $18,851 median debt - a 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio and 13.7-year payback period. The earnings-premium score of 64 is the strongest sub-score, indicating graduates do meaningfully better than typical Americans. The weak spots are completion (40.6%, scoring 22/100) and repayment (57.6%, scoring 15/100). Nursing is the clear standout program with a B+ grade and $76,025 first-year earnings. Psychology and human resources management show problematic debt-to-earnings ratios. The fundamental story is mid-South-Georgia regional university serving Pell-heavy student body where completion is the binding constraint.
Georgia Southwestern State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,220/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,572/yr |
| Average net price | $12,019/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $48,076 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,757 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,851 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $200 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 40.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,424 |
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: $5,220/year ($16,572/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 $12,019/year, or roughly $48,076 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 $10,477/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,415/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,851, which works out to about $200 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,900) and comes to 0.57, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $10,477 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,935 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,508 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,373 |
| $110,001+ | $15,415 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,477. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays a similar $10,935. Four-year totals around $42,000 against $48,757 median earnings is workable for nursing students but tight for other majors.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $13,508, climbing to $16,373 for $75,001-$110,000. Worth flagging: the $110,001-plus bracket actually pays less at $15,415 - a mild bracket inversion at the top that likely reflects merit aid concentrated on stronger students from middle-to-upper-income families. The bracket structure is somewhat unusual.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $15,415 - actually less than the $16,373 paid by the $75,001-$110,000 bracket. This top-end inversion is unusual and worth flagging; it likely reflects merit aid earned by stronger academic students who often come from higher-income households. At full pay, the cost is reasonable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Georgia Southwestern State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $65,514 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $80,811 | B+ |
| Accounting | $63,928 | C |
| Teacher Education | $48,001 | C |
| Psychology | $39,403 | F |
| Human Resources Management | $64,973 | F |
| Marketing | $51,176 | C |
| Sociology | $43,457 | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $57,043 | - |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $48,407 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is the largest program at 51 graduates with first-year earnings of $49,765 climbing to $65,514, against $26,450 in debt - a C+ grade and 0.531 ratio. Solid utility-major outcome for a regional public; placements feed into south Georgia and Atlanta-area employers. Reasonable choice for students entering regional management or operations roles.
Registered Nursing
Nursing graduated 44 with first-year earnings of $76,025 climbing to $80,811, against $24,250 in debt - a B+ grade and 0.319 ratio. This is GSW's flagship ROI program and the best argument for the institution. The BSN credential places graduates into Phoebe Putney Memorial and regional hospital systems at strong entry-level salaries that grow modestly with experience.
Accounting
Accounting produced 42 graduates with first-year earnings of $51,890 climbing to $63,928, against $30,000 in debt - a C grade and 0.578 ratio. The debt level is notably higher than the campus median; students likely need full-loan packages. The earnings trajectory is solid, and CPA-track placements offer reasonable career growth.
Teacher Education
Teacher Ed graduated 30 with first-year earnings of $38,973 against $26,431 in debt - a C grade and 0.678 ratio. Mission-driven outcome with modest financial profile.
Psychology
Psychology produced 29 graduates with first-year earnings of just $27,062 against $27,125 in debt - an F grade and 1.002 ratio. The four-year earnings of $39,403 indicates modest growth. This is the highest-risk major at GSW's price point. Graduate-school continuation is essentially required for a positive outcome.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 57.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 51.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Georgia Southwestern State University’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
| Acceptance rate | 75.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-22 |
| Enrollment | 2,424 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,122 |
GSW admits 75.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 430-540 in math and 460-570 in reading, and ACT 16-22. The SAT math 25th percentile of 430 indicates a meaningful share of admitted students arrive with weaker quantitative preparation, which correlates directly with the 40.6% completion rate. Selectivity at GSW is functionally about who chooses to enroll rather than who's admitted.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Southwestern State University (this school) | 46 | $12,019 | $48,757 |
| Wayne State College | 46 | $15,360 | $47,075 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 46 | $14,459 | $45,744 |
| Indiana University-Northwest | 44 | $5,130 | $43,361 |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | 20 | $6,842 | $34,996 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
Who Thrives Here
With 2,424 students and a 43.4% Pell rate, GSW serves a Pell-heavy student body from south Georgia's economically distressed Black Belt region. Strong fit: students locked into the nursing program (44 graduates) who plan to work at Phoebe Putney Memorial or Atlanta-area hospitals. Decent fit: business and accounting students entering regional employers. Weakest fit: psychology and HR-management students at full-pay brackets, where debt-to-earnings ratios run above 1.0. The 40.6% completion rate is the biggest risk factor; students need strong preparation and support to finish.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Georgia Southwestern State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $12,019 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $48,757 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 13.7 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 40.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 57.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,851 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, 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.
Georgia Southwestern State University: Common Questions
Is Georgia Southwestern State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Georgia Southwestern State University scores 46/100 on our ROI scale. At $12,019 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $48,757 ten years after entry, so it takes about 13.7 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Georgia Southwestern State University 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 $12,019 a year, or roughly $48,076 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 Georgia Southwestern State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,757 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,957 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Georgia Southwestern State University?
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 13.7 years for Georgia Southwestern State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Georgia Southwestern State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,851, against average earnings of $32,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. 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 Georgia Southwestern State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 40.6%. 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.