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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
92%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1450/33
Georgia Tech’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
40%
Graduation
88%
Student body
39K
Median SAT/ACT
1355/31
University of Georgia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
100%
Graduation
56%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/23
Georgia State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
54%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1081/21
Georgia Southern University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
41%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/21
Valdosta State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
42%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
995/19
University of West Georgia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
24%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
912/17
Savannah State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
24%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
820/16
Albany State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
45%
Student body
3K
Fort Valley State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
27%
Student body
4K
Dalton State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
43%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
970/20
Columbus State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
21%
Student body
10K
Georgia Gwinnett College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
62%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1172/25
Georgia College & State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
34%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/20
Georgia Southwestern State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
35%
Student body
6K
Clayton State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
8%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
876/17
Paine College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
22%
Student body
7K
Middle Georgia State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Graduation
20%
Student body
4K
Georgia Highlands College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
24%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/19
College of Coastal Georgia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
31%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/18
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Graduation
13%
Student body
2K
East Georgia State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
19%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
980/18
Gordon State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
24%
Student body
1K
Atlanta Metropolitan State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
29%
Graduation
48%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
814/20
Thomas University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Looking for more ways to save money while pursuing your college degree? Check out our guide to budgeting for college students.