Georgia’s Best Research Universities of 2021
Interested in attending a STEM school in Georgia? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.
Colleges and Universities in Georgia
Georgia has 70 colleges and universities, 38 of which are public institutions. The University of Georgia, located in the city of Athens, is the largest, with over 35,000 students. Those attending Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University will enter into a friendly athletics rivalry. Tuition at Georgia State costs $9,000, and at Georgia Southern, $6,000. Of the 20 religiously affiliated schools, Emory University has both the highest tuition, just over $50,000, and student population, with over 13,000 in attendance. Whether you’re looking to earn your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, Georgia schools offer plenty of options.
What are Georgia’s Colleges & Universities?
- 9 Research Universities
- 37 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 11 Graduate Schools
- 22 Public Colleges & Universities
- 24 Private Colleges & Universities
- 17 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 32 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 23 Affordable Colleges (below national average of $16,000/year)
Georgia’s Best Overall
Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges
A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. There are 9 research universities in Georgia, 5 of which meet our criteria. The list below of the best research universities in the state satisfies the following four conditions:
- It must be a fully accredited university.
- It must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).
- It must report high levels of research activity based upon the number of research and/or practice doctorates awarded each year.
- It must have a graduation rate of greater than 50%.
How do we determine Georgia's best colleges and universities?
The best colleges pound for pound!
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence.
Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
5 Best Research Universities in Georgia
- #1Emory University#113 institution's overall influence#41 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$51K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
91%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/32
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Emory University known for?
Emory University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Religious Studies
- Medical
- Law
- Literature
- Political Science
- Philosophy
- Anthropology
- Education
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #2Georgia Institute of Technology#145 institution's overall influence#39 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
22%
Graduation
86%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/32
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Georgia Institute of Technology known for?
Georgia Institute of Technology's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Business
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Earth Sciences
- History
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #3Mercer University#616 institution's overall influence#1052 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$25K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
66%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1260/27
Macon, GAView profile
What is Mercer University known for?
Mercer University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Law
- Engineering
- Philosophy
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Education
- Economics
- Political Science
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #4University of Georgia#138 institution's overall influence#58 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
84%
Student body
37K
Median SAT/ACT
1325/29
Athens, GAView profile
What is University of Georgia known for?
University of Georgia's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Law
- Education
- Medical
- History
- Business
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Sociology
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #5Georgia State University#519 institution's overall influence#975 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
53%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/23
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Georgia State University known for?
Georgia State University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Computer Science
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Communications
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Sociology
Most Influential Alumni
Clark Atlanta University
Tuition + fees
$22K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
38%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/19
View profile
What is Clark Atlanta University known for?
Clark Atlanta University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Education
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Literature
- Business
- History
Most Influential Alumni
Valdosta State University
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
36%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/21
View profile
What is Valdosta State University known for?
Valdosta State University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
- Chemistry
- Nursing
- Biology
- Sociology
- History
- Computer Science
- Education
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
Georgia Southern University
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
47%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
View profile
What is Georgia Southern University known for?
Georgia Southern University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
University of West Georgia
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
41%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/20
View profile
What is University of West Georgia known for?
University of West Georgia's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- History
- Education
- Political Science
- Medical
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
Find the Best Research Universities in Georgia for your Major
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