Why This Matters

  • 51 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA

    According to College Navigator, there are 51 schools in Georgia that offer two-year associate degree programs.

  • $4,035 AVERAGE TUITION & FEES

    College Board estimates that the average community college student in Georgia paid $4,035 for the 2022-23 school year.

  • 80.6% OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE U.S. RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    In the 2019-20 school year, there were 452,493 community college students in the U.S. who received financial aid from federal, state, or other sources.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges 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 small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. 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 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 students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Georgia

Best Community Colleges In Georgia Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
South Georgia Technical College
01
Best Program Offerings
Coastal Pines Technical College
01
Best Career Services
Ogeechee Technical College
01
Best in South Georgia
Southern Regional Technical College
01
Best Four-year University Partnerships
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
01
Fastest Degree Completion
Southeastern Technical College
01
Best Student Support Services
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
01
Best Tuition-free Programs
Atlanta Technical College
01
Best Economic Development Programs
Lanier Technical College
01
Best Job Placement
Savannah Technical College
01

Oconee Fall Line Technical College
01

Athens Technical College
01

Albany Technical College
01

West Georgia Technical College
01

Augusta Technical College
01

Georgia Piedmont Technical College
01

Gwinnett Technical College
01

Chattahoochee Technical College
01

Central Georgia Technical College
01

Savannah College of Art and Design
01

LaGrange College
01

Toccoa Falls College
01

Columbus Technical College
01

Dalton State College
01

North Georgia Technical College
01

College of Coastal Georgia

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Georgia

When you select a community college that meets your goals, it’s vital that you think about your potential career path. As of 2021, the highest-paying careers in Georgia that required an associate degree were air traffic controllers, nuclear technicians, electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists, geological technicians, and radiation therapists.

While earning potential is important, it’s also good to think about available work. The top professions with the most job openings in Georgia are paralegals, preschool teachers, physical therapist assistants, radiologic techs, and dental hygienists.

Those with the greatest decline in available job openings are desktop publishers, radio/cellular tower equipment installers and repairers, and electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists.

What’s Next?

When you research community colleges throughout Georgia, it’s important to think about the cost of your education. There are several available resources that can help you fund your education, including grants, scholarships, and financial aid. Below is a list of resources that can help you fund your associate degree in Georgia.

  • Georgia State Higher Education Agency. The Georgia State Higher Education Agency helps students understand who can qualify for tuition assistance from state-funded programs and helps to connect students to state loan programs.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid helps students out with more than $120 billion in tuition assistance every year. Money is typically loaned; however, some students may qualify for other programs such as scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. For more about eligibility, visit the FAFSA4caster, and if you’re ready to apply, complete the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop features a comprehensive listing of scholarships and grants that are available to students in every state and degree program. This website includes details such as deadlines, qualification requirements, and funding amounts.