Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Georgia
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Georgia
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA | Public | $1,015,779 | $98,607 | $12,116 | $21,672 | +851% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-Georgia Sandy Springs, GA | For-profit | $814,985 | $92,768 | $33,188 | $20,919 | +240% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | Private | $642,570 | $81,978 | $22,585 | $18,250 | +281% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA | Public | $445,203 | $70,704 | $15,048 | $23,833 | +273% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Morehouse College Atlanta, GA | Private | $443,718 | $75,444 | $39,013 | $25,000 | +84% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Brenau University Gainesville, GA | Private | $443,405 | $71,447 | $18,924 | $27,000 | +209% | Strong return | |
| 7 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | Public | $382,434 | $67,246 | $13,936 | $18,500 | +256% | Strong return | |
| 8 | DeVry University-Georgia Decatur, GA | For-profit | $381,064 | $70,151 | $28,229 | $24,807 | +106% | Strong return | |
| 9 | LaGrange College Lagrange, GA | Private | $360,444 | $67,666 | $20,875 | $25,730 | +144% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Mercer University Macon, GA | Private | $340,434 | $67,232 | $23,847 | $24,199 | +113% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Reinhardt University Waleska, GA | Private | $282,831 | $64,462 | $24,425 | $23,900 | +83% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Augusta University Augusta, GA | Public | $282,682 | $62,265 | $13,787 | $20,500 | +176% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Emory University-Oxford College Oxford, GA | Private | $263,690 | $62,309 | $37,920 | $18,250 | +110% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Thomas University Thomasville, GA | Private | $240,859 | $61,129 | $18,499 | $21,198 | +97% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA | Public | $239,480 | $60,451 | $15,267 | $23,250 | +122% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA | Public | $233,299 | $60,232 | $15,931 | $20,903 | +114% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Strayer University-Georgia Chamblee, GA | For-profit | $229,085 | $60,858 | $18,318 | $40,621 | +80% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA | Public | $223,568 | $60,721 | $20,686 | $22,250 | +73% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Georgia Highlands College Rome, GA | Public | $211,915 | $57,200 | $6,928 | $12,000 | +280% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Piedmont University Demorest, GA | Private | $192,854 | $59,218 | $20,599 | $25,000 | +55% | Break-even | |
| 21 | Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA | Private | $192,454 | $58,980 | $19,509 | $25,000 | +60% | Break-even | |
| 22 | University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA | Public | $189,841 | $57,486 | $12,786 | $23,970 | +109% | Strong return | |
| 23 | South Georgia State College Douglas, GA | Public | $172,041 | $55,565 | $8,767 | $11,500 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 24 | Berry College Mount Berry, GA | Private | $170,088 | $58,392 | $22,320 | $23,250 | +37% | Break-even | |
| 25 | University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA | Public | $165,120 | $55,544 | $9,823 | $17,750 | +130% | Strong return | |
| 26 | Georgia Southwestern State University Americus, GA | Public | $154,415 | $55,468 | $12,019 | $18,851 | +91% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, GA | Public | $125,608 | $52,954 | $6,842 | $16,750 | +138% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Emmanuel University Franklin Springs, GA | Private | $120,236 | $55,640 | $20,925 | $24,325 | +15% | Break-even | |
| 29 | Clayton State University Morrow, GA | Public | $106,213 | $52,452 | $8,365 | $25,706 | +74% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Columbus State University Columbus, GA | Public | $100,145 | $53,104 | $13,115 | $26,000 | +31% | Break-even | |
| 31 | Life University Marietta, GA | Private | $83,943 | $55,459 | $29,791 | $16,666 | -17% | Poor return | |
| 32 | Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA | Public | $79,190 | $51,600 | $10,945 | $24,779 | +25% | Break-even | |
| 33 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA | Public | $67,046 | $48,693 | $3,407 | — | +442% | Strong return | |
| 34 | Spelman College Atlanta, GA | Private | $61,742 | $56,336 | $38,967 | $25,000 | -31% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Savannah State University Savannah, GA | Public | $59,889 | $50,139 | $8,172 | $28,000 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 36 | Gordon State College Barnesville, GA | Public | $28,863 | $48,383 | $8,105 | $17,500 | -13% | Poor return | |
| 37 | Shorter University Rome, GA | Private | $25,946 | $50,082 | $16,646 | $25,000 | -33% | Poor return | |
| 38 | Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA | Private | $20,276 | $51,452 | $24,754 | $26,749 | -41% | Poor return | |
| 39 | Oconee Fall Line Technical College Sandersville, GA | Public | $17,138 | $47,260 | $12,844 | $6,514 | -20% | Poor return | |
| 40 | Dalton State College Dalton, GA | Public | $15,438 | $47,010 | $5,012 | $12,937 | -19% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA | Public | $15,132 | $48,575 | $12,361 | $19,000 | -37% | Poor return | |
| 42 | American InterContinental University-Atlanta Atlanta, GA | For-profit | $8,595 | $49,291 | $16,482 | $31,000 | -44% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA | Public | $5,931 | $47,929 | $10,338 | $31,000 | -44% | Poor return | |
| 44 | Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA | Public | $4,588 | $48,764 | $15,844 | $20,076 | -47% | Poor return | |
| 45 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Atlanta Duluth, GA | For-profit | $351 | $48,328 | $27,365 | $31,500 | -50% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Albany State University Albany, GA | Public | $-8,171 | $47,427 | $11,898 | $25,024 | -57% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Lanier Technical College Gainesville, GA | Public | $-10,618 | $45,249 | $7,799 | — | -84% | Poor return | |
| 48 | College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick, GA | Public | $-14,804 | $47,586 | $15,261 | $15,039 | -61% | Poor return | |
| 49 | Georgia State University-Perimeter College Atlanta, GA | Public | $-31,203 | $44,966 | $11,453 | $20,903 | -101% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA | Private | $-42,064 | $53,241 | $49,430 | $25,148 | -60% | Poor return | |
| 51 | Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville, GA | Public | $-45,626 | $42,800 | $813 | — | -1,453% | Poor return | |
| 52 | Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro, GA | Public | $-51,666 | $43,244 | $6,542 | $9,500 | -206% | Poor return | |
| 53 | West Georgia Technical College Waco, GA | Public | $-53,763 | $42,760 | $2,457 | $11,110 | -350% | Poor return | |
| 54 | Columbus Technical College Columbus, GA | Public | $-53,893 | $42,865 | $4,001 | $8,756 | -291% | Poor return | |
| 55 | North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville, GA | Public | $-66,681 | $42,209 | $4,005 | $7,823 | -357% | Poor return | |
| 56 | South University-Savannah Online Savannah, GA | For-profit | $-70,815 | $47,545 | $28,049 | $26,123 | -79% | Poor return | |
| 57 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome, GA | Public | $-75,900 | $41,894 | $5,720 | $6,421 | -325% | Poor return | |
| 58 | Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins, GA | Public | $-86,365 | $41,562 | $7,052 | $9,608 | -295% | Poor return | |
| 59 | South Georgia Technical College Americus, GA | Public | $-87,828 | $40,725 | $1,164 | — | -1,936% | Poor return | |
| 60 | Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA | Private | $-99,567 | $48,054 | $37,702 | $27,000 | -81% | Poor return | |
| 61 | Brewton-Parker Christian University Mount Vernon, GA | Private | $-106,263 | $45,353 | $26,054 | $24,990 | -97% | Poor return | |
| 62 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA | Public | $-108,929 | $40,460 | $6,696 | $13,000 | -350% | Poor return | |
| 63 | Truett McConnell University Cleveland, GA | Private | $-109,409 | $44,402 | $22,227 | $23,439 | -106% | Poor return | |
| 64 | Augusta Technical College Augusta, GA | Public | $-131,970 | $39,532 | $10,485 | $4,500 | -342% | Poor return | |
| 65 | Athens Technical College Athens, GA | Public | $-148,918 | $38,249 | $6,949 | — | -586% | Poor return | |
| 66 | Albany Technical College Albany, GA | Public | $-168,331 | $37,262 | $4,524 | $12,412 | -670% | Poor return | |
| 67 | Savannah Technical College Savannah, GA | Public | $-172,135 | $37,064 | $6,114 | $3,258 | -692% | Poor return | |
| 68 | Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston, GA | Public | $-173,738 | $37,920 | $13,761 | $12,666 | -320% | Poor return | |
| 69 | Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin, GA | Public | $-179,064 | $36,786 | $5,661 | $9,500 | -656% | Poor return | |
| 70 | Point University West Point, GA | Private | $-190,261 | $41,014 | $25,335 | $25,250 | -136% | Poor return | |
| 71 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta, GA | Public | $-215,548 | $34,284 | $614 | — | -8,826% | Poor return | |
| 72 | Interactive College of Technology-Chamblee Chamblee, GA | For-profit | $-231,158 | $35,185 | $15,506 | $10,555 | -382% | Poor return | |
| 73 | Georgia Military College Milledgeville, GA | Public | $-236,032 | $36,739 | $16,923 | $8,563 | -217% | Poor return | |
| 74 | Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA | Private | $-245,499 | $38,388 | $26,265 | $22,500 | -158% | Poor return | |
| 75 | Atlanta Metropolitan State College Atlanta, GA | Public | $-246,139 | $34,002 | $5,258 | $14,123 | -520% | Poor return | |
| 76 | East Georgia State College Swainsboro, GA | Public | $-256,646 | $34,307 | $9,626 | $11,750 | -350% | Poor return | |
| 77 | Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls, GA | Private | $-256,936 | $36,887 | $21,642 | $22,250 | -186% | Poor return | |
| 78 | Fortis College-Smyrna Smyrna, GA | For-profit | $-307,846 | $32,202 | $23,657 | $12,547 | -347% | Poor return | |
| 79 | Lincoln College of Technology-Marietta Marietta, GA | For-profit | $-309,136 | $32,815 | $30,801 | $10,521 | -286% | Poor return | |
| 80 | Miller-Motte College-Augusta Augusta, GA | For-profit | $-362,506 | $29,387 | $22,223 | $15,917 | -411% | Poor return | |
| 81 | United Education Institute-Morrow Morrow, GA | For-profit | $-370,416 | $28,439 | $35,734 | $9,500 | -523% | Poor return | |
| 82 | Southeastern Technical College Vidalia, GA | Public | $-377,019 | $27,315 | $10,612 | $5,750 | -858% | Poor return | |
| 83 | Elaine Sterling Institute Atlanta, GA | For-profit | $-404,656 | $26,456 | $30,314 | $9,500 | -649% | Poor return | |
| 84 | United Education Institute-Stone Mountain Stone Mountain, GA | For-profit | $-415,476 | $26,008 | $32,174 | $9,500 | -633% | Poor return | |
| 85 | Georgia Career Institute Conyers, GA | For-profit | $-456,465 | $23,066 | $14,966 | $7,735 | -1,333% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
Top-Rated Colleges (DR Rating)Best ROI Colleges in the U.S.Best Value CollegesBest Colleges for Economic MobilityHighest-Earning CollegesLowest-Debt CollegesLowest Net-Price CollegesBest-Rated Majors (DR Rating)Highest-Paying MajorsBest ROI MajorsLowest-Debt MajorsFastest-Growing Majors by Job OutlookMajors With the Most Job Openings