Why This Matters

  • 65 COLLEGES IN GEORGIA

    According to College Navigator, there are 65 colleges in the state of Georgia that offer bachelor’s degrees. Of these institutions, 27 are public universities, 30 are private non-profit organizations, and eight are private for-profit colleges.

  • $8,890 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    The average in-state tuition for students obtaining a full-time undergraduate degree in the state of Georgia is $8,890, according to College Board.

  • $14,800 FINANCIAL AID PER U.S. STUDENT

    For the 2020-2021 school year, the average amount of financial aid for a full-time undergraduate student was $14,800 in the U.S.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Georgia. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the southern United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Georgia

Best Colleges In Georgia
01
Intelligent Pick
Georgia Institute of Technology
01
Best for Undergraduates
Emory University
01
Best Dual Degree Programs
University of Georgia
01
Most Innovative
Georgia State University
01
Most Degree Offerings
Mercer University
01
Best Women's College
Spelman College
01
Most Beautiful Campus
Agnes Scott College
01
Best for Liberal Arts
Wesleyan College
01
Best Men's College
Morehouse College
01
Best Faith-based Institution
Covenant College
01

Kennesaw State University
01

Berry College
01

Oglethorpe University
01

Georgia College
01

Clayton State University
01

Brenau University
01

Columbus State University
01

Dalton State College
01

East Georgia State College
01

Albany State University
01

Fort Valley State University
01

University of West Georgia

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Georgia

Knowing the top industries in the state can help you decide what to study in college. As of October 2021, the top industries in Georgia were trade, transportation, and utilities; professional and business services; government; goods-producing; and education and health services.

Once you’ve graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree, it’s important to consider some of the fastest growing occupations in the state. In Georgia this includes airline pilots and flight engineers, film and video editors, camera operators, data scientists, and logisticians.

Knowing the top employers in the state can help you in your job search after you graduate from college. In Georgia, the largest employer is Delta Airlines Inc., which employs more than 80,000. Other top employers include Emory University, Home Depot Inc., and Lockheed Martin Corp.

What’s Next?

Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college more affordable. The following is a list of financial aid opportunities for undergraduate students in Georgia.

  • Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. The Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission helps students locate available resources on state financial aid and provides information on who qualifies for in-state tuition.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). When applying for college, students should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Money from federal aid is provided by the U.S. Department of Education and comes in the form of grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships. To find out if you are eligible for federal aid, visit the FAFSA4caster and then fill out an application online.
  • CareerOneStop. This site offers a searchable list of scholarships arranged in order by the closest deadline. The list can be filtered by award type, location, and level of study. Each award contains information on qualifications and who to contact.