by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top Georgia Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 68 colleges and universities across Georgia to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus tops this year’s ranking as the best school in Georgia for overall quality.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $102,772 during the early years of their career..
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Emory University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Georgia.
The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Emory is $80,137 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Georgia. The school came in at #3 in Georgia on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. During the early years of their career, graduates from UGA make an average of $68,726 a year.
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in Georgia list means Southern Regional Technical College is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Southwest Georgia Technical College make an average of $31,293 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lanier Technical College. The school came in at #5 in Georgia on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,623 during the early years of their career..
Oxford College of Emory University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Georgia ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $80,137 during the early years of their career..
Chattahoochee Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #7.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,138 during the early years of their career..
Athens Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Athens Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $35,951 during the early years of their career.
Gwinnett Technical College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GTC is $45,025 during the early years of their career.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College landed the #10 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Georgia Northwestern Technical College make an average of $35,759 a year.
Ogeechee Technical College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Ogeechee Technical College make an average of $31,248 a year.
Augusta Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #12.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,523 during the early years of their career..
Central Georgia Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from CGTC go into careers with an average salary of $30,848 during the early years of their career.
Columbus Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #14.
The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Columbus Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $34,238 during the early years of their career.
Georgia State University-Perimeter College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #15.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Georgia State University-Perimeter College make an average of $47,384 a year.
Read full report on Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Georgia Southern University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GaSou is $53,236 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #17, Georgia State University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State make an average of $47,384 per year during the early years of their career.
Southern Crescent Technical College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Georgia ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $36,104 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #19, Mercer University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia list.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mercer make an average of $58,354 per year during the early years of their career.
Kennesaw State University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #20.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from KSU Georgia make an average of $57,552 per year during the early years of their career.
Savannah Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia ranking, coming in at #21.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Savannah Tech go into careers with an average salary of $33,018 during the early years of their career.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College make an average of $30,864 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #23, Georgia College & State University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Georgia list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia College make an average of $58,140 per year during the early years of their career.
Piedmont College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in Georgia list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Piedmont College make an average of $49,130 per year during the early years of their career.
DeVry University - Georgia came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Georgia ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from DeVry University - Georgia go into careers with an average salary of $45,987 during the early years of their career.
View Best Colleges Nationwide >
All Majors and Fields of Study >
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.