Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia Ranked for Students in 2023

Published: Mar 24, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in Georgia. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.

10 Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia 2022

University of Georgia

63%

Georgia Tech

59%

Georgia State University

47%

Georgia Southern University

34%

University of West Georgia

32%

Valdosta State University

30%

Savannah State University

29%

Fort Valley State University

28%

Albany State University

27%

Georgia College & State University

23%

Georgia State University

100%

Middle Georgia State University

99%

College of Coastal Georgia

97%

Georgia Gwinnett College

93%

Georgia Southern University

91%

Georgia College & State University

88%

Gordon State College

88%

Georgia Southwestern State University

86%

Columbus State University

79%

Valdosta State University

76%

Georgia State University

27 to 1

Fort Valley State University

24 to 1

Gordon State College

22 to 1

East Georgia State College

22 to 1

Georgia Southern University

22 to 1

College of Coastal Georgia

21 to 1

Valdosta State University

20 to 1

Atlanta Metropolitan State College

20 to 1

19 to 1

19 to 1

$14,596

$11,080

$10,258

University of Georgia

$9,790

Georgia College & State University

$7,508

Georgia State University

$7,158

Valdosta State University

$4,371

Columbus State University

$4,371

University of West Georgia

$4,371

Georgia Southern University

$4,371

Georgia Tech

$14,570

Thomas University

$13,050

University of Georgia

$8,878

Georgia State University

$7,164

Columbus State University

$6,300

Clayton State University

$5,513

Georgia College & State University

$5,292

Georgia Southern University

$4,986

Valdosta State University

$4,572

Fort Valley State University

$4,344

Thomas University

13%

Atlanta Metropolitan State College

14%

College of Coastal Georgia

15%

East Georgia State College

16%

Georgia Highlands College

17%

Gordon State College

17%

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

17%

Georgia Gwinnett College

19%

Clayton State University

21%

Paine College

21%

Georgia Tech

16%

Thomas University

29%

University of Georgia

40%

Savannah State University

46%

Paine College

52%

Clayton State University

63%

University of West Georgia

70%

Fort Valley State University

72%

Albany State University

73%

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

75%

Paine College

5 to 1

Thomas University

12 to 1

Georgia College & State University

16 to 1

University of Georgia

17 to 1

Georgia Southwestern State University

17 to 1

Columbus State University

17 to 1

Savannah State University

18 to 1

Georgia Gwinnett College

18 to 1

Dalton State College

19 to 1

Georgia Tech

19 to 1

Georgia Highlands College

$2,280

East Georgia State College

$2,280

Atlanta Metropolitan State College

$2,425

Dalton State College

$2,563

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

$2,563

College of Coastal Georgia

$2,563

Gordon State College

$2,563

Middle Georgia State University

$2,728

Georgia Gwinnett College

$3,214

Georgia Southwestern State University

$4,064

Albany State University

$3,438

Georgia Southwestern State University

$3,492

Middle Georgia State University

$3,582

Savannah State University

$3,588

University of West Georgia

$4,338

Fort Valley State University

$4,344

Valdosta State University

$4,572

Georgia Southern University

$4,986

Georgia College & State University

$5,292

Clayton State University

$5,513

Key Takeaways

The most affordable colleges in Georgia have an overall average tuition fee of $9k, which means that the state can offer some of the most affordable college degrees in the United States.
Students enrolling in online degree programs in Georgia should explore the University of Georgia and Georgia State University.
Students interested in agriculture programs should consider Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Georgia Southern University, two of the cheapest colleges in the nation.

Table of Contents

Georgia’s Top-Rated Colleges That Don’t Break the Bank

Georgia is a southeastern state with the most affordable university system in the United States. Cheap as they come, colleges in Georgia offer high-quality education, especially in the field of nursing and health sciences, business administration, computer science, agriculture, liberal arts, and many more.

And because of its public research university status, Georgia residents can also take advantage of inexpensive medical schools and business school studies.

Georgia also has of the most affordable online colleges in the nation, including the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Clayton State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, and Columbus State University.

These schools offer plenty of affordable undergraduate degrees that students can complete online. The state also provides the best financial aid opportunities for students studying for doctoral degrees.

Financial Aid Opportunities in Georgia

Thurgood Marshall College Fund: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is one of the most well-known financial aid opportunities. This is the largest funded organization available for Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The TMCF is a key resource for K-12 and higher education through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, creative programming, and strategic partnerships. The group is a resource for prestigious organizations looking for top candidates for coveted internships and high-paying employment.

Scholarship, Grant, and Loan Programs: The Georgia Student Finance Commission gives Georgia residents access to the best scholarship, grant, and loan programs, making a quality education even more affordable. Listed below are a few of the options:

In Georgia, more than half of an institution’s student body receives financial aid, especially those enrolled in an undergraduate program. Even the cheapest colleges in Georgia allow students to obtain financial aid, frequently resulting in a substantial tuition fee reduction.

Colleges with accreditation, such as from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, offer the best and most varied financial assistance for on-campus and online students.

Reasons Why College Education in Georgia is Affordable

For many international students, Georgia offers a cheap cost of living. Most students concur that Georgia is a terrific state for your wallet, regardless of where they came from.

Here are reasons why many international students favor Georgia:

1. Tuition Fees: Georgia tuition fees can cost up to $54,000 for the most expensive private colleges and universities. On the other hand, public universities, such as Dalton State College, offer the lowest tuition fee at an average of $4,000 a year.

2. Transportation Cost: Georgia’s transportation system is quite dependable because it has adequate metro connectivity. Taxify and Yandex are the taxi companies in Georgia. It is, therefore, reasonably priced for all students.

3. Living Cost: Georgia is among the least expensive states in the nation, according to World Populations Review. With costs 25% lower than the national average, Georgia has the fourth-lowest housing costs in the nation. Over 40% of residents can buy a new home, ranking among the highest in the country for housing affordability.

Georgia Economic Outlook

Since 2019, Georgia’s overall economic activity has grown by about 3%. The number of jobs in Georgia increased by 2% in the previous year.

Georgia has a diverse range of profitable industries, with real estate, manufacturing, banking and insurance, and information technology accounting for its top four revenue generators.

The industries with the fastest rising employment were those related to transportation, management, construction, and the arts. This indicates a high employment rate for high-paying positions like operations managers, environmental engineers, systems analysts, and marketing managers.

Colleges and Universities in Georgia

The state of Georgia is home to 70 colleges and universities. 38 of these schools are public institutions, each offering a wide variety of traditional and online courses as well as a full range of graduate programs for both on-campus and online students.

The University of Georgia, located in the city of Athens, is the largest college in Georgia, 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.

Both the University of Georgia and Georgia State University are among the 36 colleges in Georgia offering online degree programs.

In addition, there are numerous fully online colleges in Georgia with accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Of the 20 religiously affiliated colleges and schools in Georgia, Emory University has both the highest tuition at just over $50,000 per year, and the largest private school student population, with over 13,000 in attendance.

Georgia is also home to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design, which offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in architecture, advertising, art history, and more.

Prospective students looking to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree can choose from an extremely broad range of in-class and online programs.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Both traditional and online students in Georgia can earn degrees in religious studies, business, social work, law, and computer science. Those looking to attend technical colleges can also choose from a handful of brick-and-mortar and online colleges that offer two-year degrees in medicine, nursing, and education.

Part of the University System of Georgia, Atlanta Metropolitan State college is the state’s most affordable college at $3,000. Students at Atlanta Metropolitan can major in fields like mathematics, criminal justice, and philosophy. Most degree programs are available through in-person or online programs.

Georgia is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and the Okefenokee Swamp, which is the largest such water-mass in North America. This diverse landscape in The Peach State provides Georgia’s college and graduate students with a beautiful backdrop for an education. It’s also worth noting that Georgia residents who enroll in fully online programs at public universities or community colleges in Georgia will still receive in-state tuition discounts.

Georgia also offers a loan repayment-based financial aid program for qualifying graduates in the medical field through the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce. Check out the best traditional and online degree programs and top career paths this southern state has to offer.

What are Georgia’s Colleges & Universities?

Georgia’s Best Overall

How do we determine Georgia's best affordable colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

There are 26 colleges and universities in Georgia with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Georgia is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.

Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia 2022

These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.

Build your own college ranking

Looking for more ways to save money while pursuing your college degree? Check out our guide to budgeting for college students.

Georgia’s Most Affordable Colleges in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia Ranked for Students in 2023

10 Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia 2022

Key Takeaways

Georgia’s Top-Rated Colleges That Don’t Break the Bank

Financial Aid Opportunities in Georgia

Reasons Why College Education in Georgia is Affordable

Georgia Economic Outlook

Colleges and Universities in Georgia

What are Georgia’s Colleges & Universities?

Most Affordable Colleges in Georgia 2022

Most Influential Alumni

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University of Georgia’s Online Degrees

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Georgia Southern University’s Online Degrees

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Valdosta State University’s Online Degrees

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University of West Georgia’s Online Degrees

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Savannah State University’s Online Degrees

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Albany State University’s Online Degrees

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Fort Valley State University’s Online Degrees

Dalton State College’s Online Degrees

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Columbus State University’s Online Degrees

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Georgia Southwestern State University’s Online Degrees

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Clayton State University’s Online Degrees

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Paine College’s Online Degrees

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Middle Georgia State University’s Online Degrees

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Georgia Highlands College’s Online Degrees

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