State Rankings

Best Colleges in Georgia

Top colleges in Georgia ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $46,528

Public / Private: 34 / 16

Top Colleges in Georgia

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Georgia Tech Atlanta#17 national	Public	$102,772	16.5%	1,447	92.3%	$32,876
2	Emory University Atlanta#23 national	Private	$80,137	11.1%	1,507	91.8%	$60,774
3	University of Georgia Athens#35 national	Public	$68,726	37.2%	1,301	87.2%	$30,220
4	Spelman College Atlanta#162 national	Private	$59,993	34.1%	1,184	76.1%	$30,058
5	Mercer University Macon#303 national	Private	$58,354	66.5%	1,280	73.4%	$40,890
6	Berry College Mount Berry#355 national	Private	$53,800	61.9%	1,223	73.9%	$40,416
7	Emory University-Oxford College Oxford#385 national	Private	$80,137	17.3%	1,513	N/A	$60,774
8	Georgia College & State University Milledgeville#526 national	Public	$58,140	87.8%	1,150	61.6%	$28,178
9	Agnes Scott College Decatur#543 national	Private	$56,274	67.3%	1,296	70.5%	$48,150
10	Covenant College Lookout Mountain#559 national	Private	$50,412	81.8%	1,254	71.9%	$40,464
11	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw#662 national	Public	$57,552	69.2%	1,120	48.1%	$17,040
12	Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah#739 national	Private	$45,954	83.7%	1,178	70.5%	$40,595
13	Oglethorpe University Atlanta#757 national	Private	$55,232	60.1%	1,230	53.9%	$45,806
14	Georgia State University Atlanta#806 national	Public	$47,384	62.3%	1,149	53.7%	$23,709
15	Morehouse College Atlanta#889 national	Private	$52,889	51.4%	1,050	52.7%	$31,725
16	Georgia Southern University Statesboro#981 national	Public	$53,236	89.6%	1,057	52.0%	$16,959
17	University of West Georgia Carrollton#1055 national	Public	$49,587	49.4%	1,044	42.7%	$17,024
18	Augusta University Augusta#1329 national	Public	$48,472	89.3%	1,113	48.6%	$23,500
19	Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville#1333 national	Public	$45,025	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,756
20	Clayton State University Morrow#1334 national	Public	$49,179	70.6%	973	35.4%	$15,790
21	University of North Georgia Dahlonega#1337 national	Public	$50,135	72.2%	1,136	36.9%	$15,441
22	Georgia State University-Perimeter College Atlanta#1443 national	Public	$47,384	99.6%	963	N/A	$9,312
23	Young Harris College Young Harris#1482 national	Private	$47,195	64.0%	N/A	45.7%	$32,305
24	Valdosta State University Valdosta#1580 national	Public	$49,361	83.5%	1,037	41.7%	$17,062
25	LaGrange College Lagrange#1609 national	Private	$51,745	63.2%	N/A	41.8%	$34,540
26	Lanier Technical College Gainesville#1629 national	Public	$37,623	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,716
27	Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta#1635 national	Public	$37,138	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,652
28	Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome#1670 national	Public	$35,759	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,532
29	West Georgia Technical College Waco#1733 national	Public	$35,479	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,522
30	Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin#1765 national	Public	$36,104	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,526
31	Athens Technical College Athens#1845 national	Public	$35,951	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,572
32	Columbus Technical College Columbus#1926 national	Public	$34,238	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,442
33	Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville#1931 national	Public	$31,293	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,522
34	Oconee Fall Line Technical College Sandersville#1941 national	Public	$30,899	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,601
35	Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta#1961 national	Public	$30,864	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,612
36	South Georgia Technical College Americus#1965 national	Public	$30,364	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,782
37	Coastal Pines Technical College Waycross#1967 national	Public	$30,214	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,440
38	Georgia Southwestern State University Americus#1983 national	Public	$48,757	77.2%	998	31.9%	$15,702
39	North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville#1988 national	Public	$32,932	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,562
40	Albany Technical College Albany#2036 national	Public	$30,541	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,596
41	Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston#2038 national	Public	$34,619	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,588
42	Savannah Technical College Savannah#2045 national	Public	$33,018	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,472
43	Piedmont University Demorest#2059 national	Private	$49,130	92.8%	1,074	41.5%	$30,680
44	Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins#2070 national	Public	$30,848	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,580
45	Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro#2073 national	Public	$31,248	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,570
46	Clark Atlanta University Atlanta#2085 national	Private	$42,712	64.6%	N/A	47.8%	$26,446
47	Thomas University Thomasville#2099 national	Private	$49,716	43.2%	1,037	27.8%	$11,640
48	Brenau University Gainesville#2105 national	Private	$54,003	87.0%	1,087	35.4%	$33,275
49	Augusta Technical College Augusta#2130 national	Public	$33,523	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,022
50	Southeastern Technical College Vidalia#2134 national	Public	$30,329	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,572

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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