Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Clayton State University #336 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Clayton State University sits in the 36.9 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $4,892 less than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Clayton State University #334 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Clayton State University's composite ranking reflects a consistent pattern of graduates earn about $4,892 less than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions — a meaningful signal for a broad-access public university anchored in health and applied fields. Mobility and earnings beyond expectations together define the institution's strongest comparative advantages among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Clayton State University #336 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Morrow, GA, Clayton State University enrolls roughly 4,348 undergraduates. Retention stands at 70.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 39.9%, figures that reflect the institution's commitment to moving students through to degree completion. The composite is anchored by what Clayton State University does with the students it serves. 52.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 37.9% are first-generation college students — a profile that signals broad access to students who have historically faced barriers to four-year degrees. The dominant program concentration is Health, a field with strong regional labor-market demand and clear pathways to stable employment. Graduates earn about $4,892 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Clayton State University in the 36.9 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and return tell different parts of the story. Clayton State University sits in the 90.0 percentile for access and the 77.2 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the institution's reach into underserved student populations and its ability to convert enrollment into upward economic movement. Return on investment sits in the 23.3 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, with median earnings four years after enrollment of $54,430 — a figure shaped by GA's regional labor market and the institution's concentration in Health fields. Affordability sits in the 84.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Clayton State University's published cost of attendance is $17,415. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $7,405, middle-income families pay around $9,755, and higher-income families pay approximately $14,161. Azimuth ranks Clayton State University #217 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Clayton State's aid structure combines federal, state, and institutional funding to close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. The university participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, and state aid is available to Georgia residents. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,706, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,973; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,430, median federal debt of $25,706 projects to a monthly payment of about $290 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Clayton State University is a strong fit for students in GA drawn to health-focused programs who want a regional public university that delivers solid post-graduation outcomes without the cost of higher-priced institutions. Graduates earn in the 14.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Clayton State University sits in the 36.9 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $4,892 less than similar students at comparable institutions, a meaningful signal for students weighing long-term financial return. The access profile is broad. 52.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 37.9% are first-generation students, and Clayton State University delivers completion outcomes — 42.1% of Pell-eligible students graduate — that make it a realistic and financially grounded option for cost-sensitive families. Median student debt at graduation is $25,706, keeping post-graduation loan obligations in a range that aligns with the earnings profile. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio centers on Health and related applied fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking a broad research-university experience may find the program mix narrower than they prefer.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Clayton State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Clayton State University's published cost of attendance is $17,415. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $7,405, middle-income families pay around $9,755, and higher-income families pay approximately $14,161.
Azimuth ranks Clayton State University #217 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Clayton State's aid structure combines federal, state, and institutional funding to close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. The university participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, and state aid is available to Georgia residents.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,706, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,973; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $54,430, median federal debt of $25,706 projects to a monthly payment of about $290 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $54,430, placing Clayton State University in the 14.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,892 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Clayton State University in the 36.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
That figure compares with a peer median of $56,249 at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Clayton State University #1135 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Those outcomes represent lifetime returns relative to GA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928, the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential. The dominant program family at Clayton State University is Health, which shapes the institution's overall earnings profile.
Business accounts for 23% of graduates, followed by Arts at 4% and Social Sciences at 2%. The highest aggregate-return program is Nursing, which combines cohort scale with competitive early-career pay.
Among the top programs by earnings, Business Administration program graduates 130 students with median earnings of $58,740 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #183 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Clinical, Counseling and Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General also post competitive early-career figures of $42,032 and $40,140, respectively, with Azimuth ranking Clinical, Counseling and Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology #14 and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General #69 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Georgia Gwinnett College Higher acceptance rate (25 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 32 miles away; similar graduate earnings | GA | 96% | $47,730 | Compare |
Truett Mcconnell University Higher acceptance rate (20.1 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 77 miles away; similar graduate earnings | GA | 91% | $46,700 | Compare |
Shorter University Higher acceptance rate (26.3 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 68 miles away; similar graduate earnings | GA | 97% | $44,604 | Compare |
Valdosta State University Higher acceptance rate (12.9 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | GA | 83% | $49,361 | Compare |
Palm Beach Atlantic University Higher acceptance rate (17.7 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | FL | 88% | $49,232 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saginaw Valley State University Similar quality tier (#10930 ranked) | MI | 72% | $51,955 | #10930 | Compare |
Suny Polytechnic Institute Similar quality tier (#10924 ranked) | NY | 81% | $64,355 | #10924 | Compare |
State University Of New York At Oswego Similar quality tier (#10921 ranked) | NY | 81% | $57,566 | #10921 | Compare |
Wright State University-Main Campus Similar quality tier (#11965 ranked) | OH | 96% | $49,500 | #11965 | Compare |
University Of Central Oklahoma Similar quality tier (#10898 ranked) | OK | 78% | $48,351 | #10898 | Compare |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
90 graduates
Computer Science
17 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
19 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
21 graduates
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
28 graduates
Clayton State University's program mix is anchored in health and applied professional fields — a signature consistent with the institution's identity as a regional public university serving the greater Atlanta metro. Health professions represent 23% of graduates, with Arts and Social Sciences rounding out the core of the degree portfolio.
Across 26 programs serving roughly 932 students annually, the strongest financial outcomes cluster in health-adjacent and applied-business fields where graduates enter stable, in-demand careers directly after enrollment. The program with the highest combined enrollment and earnings impact is Nursing, which anchors Clayton State University's economic profile by combining meaningful cohort scale with competitive four-year earnings.
Among the most popular programs, Business Administration program graduates 130 students and delivers median earnings of $58,740 four years after enrollment, with Azimuth ranking the program #183 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Clinical, Counseling and Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General also draw large cohorts and connect graduates to stable regional employment in healthcare and public-sector roles.
The highest-earning programs at Clayton State University reflect the institution's health-sciences depth. Nursing leads with median earnings of $96,160 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #114 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Business Administration and Biology, General follow with graduates earning $58,740 and $57,400 respectively, both reflecting direct-to-workforce pathways in fields with consistent regional demand. For context on how these program families align with national labor-market trends, see [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).
