1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Dalton State College Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Dalton State College GA · Medium public institution · Overall rank #188 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/dalton-state-college/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/dalton-state-college/admissions/)[Majors](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Dalton State College #188 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Dalton State College is a public university in Dalton, Georgia, where Business and Education account for the largest shares of degrees. Affordability is among the highest we track, and access is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model adds for the factors it measures—field of study, enrollment, and the local labor market—while what it cannot explain subtracts. Return is modestly below average. Pell recipients complete at a rate above the overall cohort, and mobility is above average. The lowest income band pays well below the published cost, and the spread between the lowest and highest bands is modest. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. The largest program, Teacher Education, is not the best-paid one; Nursing graduates earn the highest median. ## Dalton State College at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** Not reported **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 25.3% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $52,160 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $6,042 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $12,937 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $8,848 ## Dalton State College rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Dalton State College enrolls 4,553 undergraduates as a public university in Dalton, Georgia. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the college's composite standing sits near the top of the ranking. The peer median is the median among similar institutions. This figure tracks the share of full-time first-year students who return for a second year. The four pillars sit far apart. Affordability (98th percentile) is the strongest, followed closely by access (93rd percentile). Return (37th percentile) is the weakest, with mobility (56th percentile) in between. Affordability is the strongest pillar, at the 98th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is also strong, at the 93rd percentile. Return is the weakest of the four pillars, at the 37th percentile, and mobility sits in between at the 56th percentile. Azimuth ranks the university #110 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #652 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Dalton State College rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #188 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 56 **Access & reach** National percentile: 93 **[Affordability](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/)** National percentile: 98 **[Return on investment](/school/dalton-state-college/outcomes/)** National percentile: 37 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**#145** 2. Accounting and Related Services**#226** 3. Business Administration, Management and Operations**#240** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Dalton State College briefing ## [Dalton State College cost & financial aid](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Affordability is the pillar that stands out at Dalton State College, and the numbers bear that out. The published cost of attendance is $12,719, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition and fees are $3,336, and room and board is $10,419. Out-of-state students face tuition and fees of $10,656. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — what they pay after grants and scholarships — is $5,012. That is $9,056 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). On average, aid covers about 61% of the published cost. Azimuth ranks the university #23 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 98th percentile. The price advantage over peers is substantial, and the average net price sits well below the sticker. The published cost of attendance at Dalton State College is $12,719 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #23 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $3,962, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $6,042, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $10,055. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $6,093. Aid covers about 61% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $5,012, which is $9,056 below the median of $14,068 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $12,937 in federal student loans. That is $8,292 below the peer median of $21,229 for comparable institutions. About 34.4% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $8,848. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $147 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$6,042** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Dalton State College Among borrowers who complete, the median federal student debt is $12,937. That is $8,292 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The debt range is wide. Federal borrowing is not the norm here: 34.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $8,848. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $52,160. That places the figure at the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median is $5,141 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. That result sits at the 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from Dalton State College's program mix, range from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $52,160. The median federal debt of $12,937 corresponds to an estimated payment of $147 a month if repaid over ten years. The debt sits below the median for comparable institutions. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $8,848. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $147 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $12,937 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $8,848 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $147/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $112/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=dalton-state-college#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/dalton-state-college/cost/) 02 / Dalton State College briefing ## [Dalton State College career outcomes & earnings](/school/dalton-state-college/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $52,160, in the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is $5,141 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 68th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,388. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,411. Azimuth places the return pillar at the 37th percentile. At Dalton State College, the median earnings four years after finishing is $52,160 among 771 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That median lands at the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Compared with the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), that salary is $5,141 below. Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places that figure in the 68th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside, with $52,160 as the typical outcome. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $52,160 four years after completing a degree, at the 24th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $57,301, leaving Dalton State College $5,141 below that level. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Dalton State College #923 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. That outcome sits at the 68th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $5,388. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,411. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $84. Degrees cluster heavily in business, education and biological sciences, with a smaller presence in STEM fields. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, run from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside. An estimated 31.3% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a spread: from $44,861 on the downside to $74,782 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Nursing graduates earn $84,253 four years after completion, from 27 degrees awarded a year. Accounting follows at $66,902, with 25 degrees awarded. The largest program, Teacher Education, sits lower at $45,604. The published cost of attendance at Dalton State College is $12,719 (an average across living arrangements), though the average aid recipient pays far less after grants and scholarships. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $5,012. That figure sits $9,056 below the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The typical federal debt for borrowers who finish is $12,937, below the $21,229 median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Repaying that balance if repaid over ten years would cost an estimated $147 a month. Graduates earn about $3,977 more than the model expects for similar students. For parents who borrow, the median Parent PLUS balance is $8,848. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,388 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,411 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$3,977 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/dalton-state-college/outcomes/) 03 / Dalton State College briefing ## [Dalton State College acceptance rate & admissions](/school/dalton-state-college/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Dalton State College enrolls 4,553 undergraduates, and nearly half receive Pell Grants. An estimated 34.3% of the student body enters as transfers or part-time students, so the campus is shaped by more than one entry route. The transfer share points to a student body that includes people continuing coursework begun elsewhere, not only those who started as first-year students. Admissions **Admission rate** Not reported [Read the full admissions brief](/school/dalton-state-college/admissions/) 04 / Dalton State College briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Dalton State College?](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest programs at Dalton State College span a wide earnings range, with the highest-paid field awarding far fewer degrees than the most popular one. Teacher Education is the largest program, with 91 degrees awarded and median earnings of $45,604 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #145 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Business Administration and Management awards 85 degrees and its graduates earn $60,331, placing it #240 nationally. Nursing is the highest-earning program among the largest five, at $84,253, with 27 degrees awarded and a national rank of #246. The program list at Dalton State College is anchored by Business, which accounts for 30.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Education, at 18.4%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 6 of the university's programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Teacher Education is the largest single program, with 91 degrees awarded a year. Azimuth ranks it #145 within its field, and graduates earn a median of $45,604 four years after completion. The highest earnings come from a smaller program. Nursing, ranked #246 within its field, has median earnings of $84,253 among 27 degrees awarded. Business Administration and Management, ranked #240 within its field and the second-largest program at 85 degrees, shows median earnings of $60,331. Dalton State College awards bachelor's degrees across 6 ranked programs, with earnings data available for 12. Business is the largest program family, accounting for 30.7% of degrees awarded, followed by Education at 18.4% and Biological Sciences at 11.7%. The largest single programs are Teacher Education with 91 degrees awarded, Business Administration and Management with 85, and Biology with 58. Teacher Education is the highest-ranked program, with graduates earning a median of $45,604 four years after completion. It ranks #11 in Georgia within its field. Accounting ranks #226 nationally and #8 in Georgia within its field. Nursing is the highest-earning program, with graduates earning a median of $84,253 from 27 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $66,902, with 25 degrees awarded. Marketing graduates earn $64,649 from 22 degrees awarded. The pattern is concentrated: the largest programs are not the highest-earning ones, and the highest-earning program is a modest share of total degrees. 10.5% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings for fields where graduate study is common may understate later trajectories. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 91 degrees awarded** $45,604 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 85 degrees awarded** $60,331 **Biology, General 58 degrees awarded** $47,218 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 37 degrees awarded** $48,341 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 27 degrees awarded** $84,253 **Accounting and Related Services 25 degrees awarded** $66,902 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/dalton-state-college/majors/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)