Best Online Colleges in Georgia of 2023
Online higher education in Georgia includes not just traditional four-year universities, but also community colleges and certification programs — so if you’re planning to take college courses online, you certainly have plenty of options to choose from here. Below, we’ll go over tuition rates, financial aid, and everything else you need to know about attending online universities and colleges in Georgia.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online 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.
Accreditation is imperative for professional recognition and credit/degree transfer. All the online Georgia colleges on our list are accredited — most by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges or the Higher Learning Commission. Both are regional accreditors that ensure educational excellence through a stringent multi-step accreditation process.
We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for online students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
The Top 50 Online Colleges in Georgia
Frequently Asked Questions: Online Colleges in Georgia
Does Georgia have good online colleges and universities?
It does indeed. A number of Georgia’s online programs rank among the top in the nation. For instance, according to U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, University of Georgia’s online bachelor’s degree program is No. 16 in the country. Savannah College of Art and Design also offers a decently ranked bachelor’s degree program – No. 80 in the country. At the graduate level, Georgia also has strong online degree options, particularly at University of Georgia, which ranks in the top 10 for a range of education and business degrees, and Georgia State University, which ranks No. 22 in the country for best online Master’s in Criminal Justice program. Georgia’s community and technical colleges also have extensive options for online courses, certificates, and degrees.
Do online college credits in Georgia cost more than in-person classes?
The answer to this question depends on which college you attend. Some colleges offer discounted rates for online courses regardless of where you live, while others charge an additional fee for online courses to help cover the cost of software licenses, technical support, etc. In general, Georgia’s online tuition fees tend to be reasonable compared to those of other states.
Why should you choose Georgia for online higher education?
Georgia offers an impressive range of online degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Tuition also tends to be affordable, especially when you consider the high rankings of some of Georgia’s online programs.
The Cost of Online College in Georgia
How much does an online degree in Georgia cost?
The cost of an online degree in Georgia depends on which institution you attend as well as the type of degree you choose to pursue. For example, undergraduate courses are usually more affordable than graduate degrees. Also, you may find yourself paying more for your degree if you major in a STEM field rather than the humanities.
Regardless of the cost per credit, you should also consider that you may be able to save a lot of money on indirect expenses, such as transportation and housing, by earning your college degree online.
To give you a sense of exactly how much you should expect to pay for your online education, we’ve listed the current rates for earning an online bachelor’s degree in Georgia below:
- Most affordable online college in Georgia: Middle Georgia State University, $113 per credit
- Most expensive online college in Georgia: Savannah College of Art and Design, $852 per credit
Source: Education Data Initiative
How long do you have to live in Georgia to get in-state tuition rates?
Establishing Georgia residency typically requires you to have resided in Georgia for at least 12 months prior to declaring Georgia residency. You must also prove legal and physical ties to the state by changing your driver’s license and voter registration, owning property or paying rent, paying utilities in the state, etc. You must prove you’re in the state for a reason other than education.
Who qualifies for reduced tuition costs in Georgia?
Georgia participates in the Southern Regional Education Board’s Academic Common Market, which enables residents of southern states to pay in-state tuition at institutions located in the south.
You should also fill out the FAFSA application, which will show you if you’re eligible for Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), and other financial aid awards.
College Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Grant Programs in Georgia
In addition to the Academic Common Market reciprocity agreements, there are a number of other programs available that can help you cover the cost of college. Some of these programs are also based on financial need, while others are awarded based on factors such as demographics or academic merit. We’ve reviewed a few of the most prominent financial aid options for you below:
Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant Program
This grant program aims to encourage Georgia residents to attend private universities in Georgia by providing tuition assistance. Recipients receive awards of $284 per quarter or $425 per semester.
Who’s eligible? Georgia residents who are enrolled at an eligible private institution in Georgia.
Contact information: [email protected] | 800-505-4732
Watson Brown Foundation Scholarship
This program provides need- and merit-based funding of $3,000 per semester to Black students from certain counties in Georgia and South Carolina who attend accredited four-year colleges and universities in the U.S.
Who’s eligible? Minority students from certain Georgia and South Carolina counties who attend eligible four-year institutions.
Contact information: [email protected] | 706-595-8886
Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Scholarship Program
This scholarship program awards financial assistance to deserving female Christian students with financial need who attend one of more than 200 universities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia. A significant number of the grants support young women majoring in medicine, nursing, and allied health fields. Award amounts vary.
Who’s eligible? Christian women who demonstrate financial need and attend one of over 200 participating institutions. Special attention is given to women majoring in health-related fields.
Contact information: [email protected] | 404-522-6755
Greenhouse Scholars Program
Open to students from Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and North Carolina, this is a holistic scholars program that provides not only funding but also mentorship, support, and cocurricular leadership development to students from low-income communities. The goal is to stop the cycle of poverty and create generational change.
Who’s eligible? Legal residents of Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New York, or North Carolina who have a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above, demonstrate financial need, and possess strong leadership, grit, and commitment to community.
Contact information: [email protected] | 720-449-7444
5 Fastest Growing Careers in Georgia
If you’re still in the process of assessing your college options, you may also be undecided on your major. When selecting a major, one of the most important factors to consider is your future employability. Thinking about which industries and careers are growing the fastest in Georgia can make it easier to find a job once you graduate, and being in demand should also help you earn a higher salary.
By consulting the U.S. Department of Labor’s Long-Term Employment Projections 2018–2028, we’ve determined that the following five careers have some of the highest projected growth rates in Georgia:
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Across the nation, demand for health professionals is on the rise due to the country’s aging population and increased prevalence of chronic and acute disease. Georgia is no exception. In addition to clinical practitioners, the state also needs qualified health professionals who can teach students to become doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, etc. In Georgia, health specialties professors earn an average annual salary of $122,390.
- Projected growth: 45.5%
- Degree options: Master of Public Health, Master of Nursing Science, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Veterinary Science, Doctor of Nursing, Doctor of Dentistry
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Veterinary technologists and technicians are trained to assist veterinary doctors in their animal care. In Georgia, veterinary techs earn an average annual salary of $34,220.
- Growth: 43.9%
- Degree options: Associate or Bachelor’s in Veterinary Technology, Associate or Bachelor’s in Animal Science
Personal Care Aides
As Georgia’s population ages and chronic and acute medical conditions become more prevalent, the state is in increasing need of personal care aides to assist patients, often older adults or disabled people, with tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and bathing. In Georgia, personal care aides make an average annual salary of $26,600.
- Projected growth: 48.2%
- Degree options: Certificate in Personal Care Aide, Associate in Medical Assisting
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Market research analysts and marketing specialists use data to understand consumer preferences and tailor a company’s marketing campaigns to what will bring the greatest return on investment. In Georgia, market research analysts and marketing specialists make an average salary of $69,130 per year.
- Growth: 27.9%
- Degree options: Bachelor’s in Marketing, Bachelor’s in Communications, Bachelor’s in Business, Bachelor’s in Market Research, Bachelor’s in Statistics, Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Registered Nurses
Registered nurses (RNs) perform a wide range of health and patient care duties, depending on where they work (hospital, doctor’s office, health clinic, etc.) RNs in Georgia earn an average salary of $86,707.
- Growth: 22.5%
- Degree options: Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)