by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Georgia, it can be hard to know where to start. We have ranked **44** colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual evaluated 44 colleges across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Explore the leading colleges below:
Our analysis found Emory University Oxford College to be the best college in Georgia. Emory University Oxford College is a private not-for-profit school based in Oxford, GA. In-state tuition and fees run about $64,280. Early-career graduates earn a median of $7,808. Typical student debt is $11,260.
You'll be in good company at University Of North Georgia, which ranked #2 this year. Set in Dahlonega, GA, University Of North Georgia is a public institution. University Of North Georgia graduates 50% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,444, while out-of-state students pay about $16,956. Median early-career earnings reach $43,714. Graduates carry a median of $21,439 in student loans.
Out of the 44 colleges in Georgia in this year's ranking, Gwinnett Technical College landed the #3 spot. This public school is set in Lawrenceville, GA. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,524, while out-of-state students pay about $6,092. Early-career graduates earn a median of $39,288. Graduates carry a median of $18,048 in student loans.
You'll be in good company at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, which ranked #4 this year. Based in Rome, GA, Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,300, while out-of-state students pay about $5,868. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $41,229. Students borrow a median of $8,492 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #5 makes Georgia Southern University one of the top colleges in Georgia. This public school is set in Statesboro, GA. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $6,022, with out-of-state students paying around $17,734. Early-career graduates earn a median of $45,531. The median student debt is $26,500.
Chattahoochee Technical College landed the #6 spot in Georgia this year. Based in Marietta, GA, Chattahoochee Technical College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,540, while out-of-state students pay about $6,108. Early-career graduates earn a median of $44,673. Graduates carry a median of $9,616 in student loans.
Thomas University placed #7 among the best colleges in Georgia. Located in Thomasville, GA, Thomas University is a private not-for-profit institution. Thomas University posts a six-year graduation rate of 7%. Students from in state pay about $11,640 in tuition and fees. Median early-career earnings reach $59,773. Graduates carry a median of $28,454 in student loans.
Georgia Military College Milledgeville ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in Milledgeville, GA, Georgia Military College Milledgeville is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,605. Graduates go on to earn a median of $29,788 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,587 to complete a degree here.
Georgia Highlands College placed #9 among the best colleges in Georgia. Located in Rome, GA, Georgia Highlands College is a public institution. Roughly 20% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,120, compared with $10,080 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $56,814. Typical student debt is $15,134.
Dalton State College did well this year, earning the #10 position. Based in Dalton, GA, Dalton State College is a public institution. Roughly 24% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,336, compared with $10,656 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $41,654. Graduates carry a median of $14,955 in student loans.
Southern Crescent Technical College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This public school is set in Griffin, GA. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,516, compared with $6,084 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $45,062. Graduates carry a median of $17,619 in student loans.
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins is a public school based in Warner Robins, GA. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,448, compared with $6,016 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $39,765. Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins students take on a median of $11,693 in debt.
Southern Regional Technical College placed #13 among the best colleges in Georgia. Set in Thomasville, GA, Southern Regional Technical College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,007, with out-of-state students paying around $5,575. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $44,007. Typical student debt is $9,086.
Columbus State University placed #14 among the best colleges in Georgia. Based in Columbus, GA, Columbus State University is a public institution. About 43% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $5,898 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,610 for out-of-state students. Columbus State University graduates report median early-career earnings of $51,154. Graduates carry a median of $28,493 in student loans.
Georgia Perimeter College placed #15 among the best colleges in Georgia. Georgia Perimeter College is a public school based in Atlanta, GA. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,104, compared with $10,064 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $53,142. Graduates carry a median of $20,617 in student loans.
Coastal Pines Technical College placed #16 among the best colleges in Georgia. Set in Waycross, GA, Coastal Pines Technical College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,268, with out-of-state students paying around $5,836. Early-career graduates earn a median of $39,090. Students borrow a median of $5,812 to complete a degree here.
Lanier Technical College placed #17 among the best colleges in Georgia. Located in Gainesville, GA, Lanier Technical College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,980, compared with $7,190 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $37,118. Lanier Technical College students take on a median of $12,278 in debt.
Athens Technical College did well this year, earning the #18 position. Set in Athens, GA, Athens Technical College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,390 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,958. Graduates go on to earn a median of $41,631 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans.
College Of Coastal Georgia ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This public school is set in Brunswick, GA. About 26% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,616, while out-of-state students pay about $10,936. Median early-career earnings reach $40,858. Typical student debt is $19,240.
Valdosta State University did well this year, earning the #20 position. Based in Valdosta, GA, Valdosta State University is a public institution. Valdosta State University graduates 42% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $6,124, compared with $17,836 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $44,914. Graduates carry a median of $28,661 in student loans.
Middle Georgia State University landed the #21 spot in Georgia this year. This public school is set in Macon, GA. Middle Georgia State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 24%. In-state tuition and fees run about $5,038, compared with $16,390 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $48,207. The median student debt is $26,976.
Brenau University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Set in Gainesville, GA, Brenau University is a private not-for-profit institution. Brenau University graduates 35% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $33,757. Brenau University graduates report median early-career earnings of $59,258. Typical student debt is $36,299.
Augusta Technical College came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Augusta Technical College is a public school based in Augusta, GA. In-state tuition and fees run about $4,282, compared with $7,492 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $41,892. Students borrow a median of $11,400 to complete a degree here.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College did well this year, earning the #24 position. Located in Valdosta, GA, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,480, while out-of-state students pay about $6,048. Graduates go on to earn a median of $40,452 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $10,864 in student loans.
Albany State University ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Set in Albany, GA, Albany State University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 33%. In-state tuition and fees run about $5,656, compared with $17,008 for out-of-state students. Albany State University graduates report median early-career earnings of $47,466. The median student debt is $28,158.
These colleges rounded out the top of the list:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.