For low-income graduate median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions
Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Georgia Southern University #125 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $62,342, placing Georgia Southern University in the 57.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Georgia Southern University sits in the 58.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduate outcomes that outpace what similar students earn at comparable institutions. --- Georgia Southern University's composite ranking reflects a consistent balance across return, access, and affordability — outcomes that hold up across a broad, business-anchored program mix serving a wide range of students in Georgia. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings that place the university above many peers in the Azimuth coverage set, with earnings beyond expectations adding further evidence that students here achieve more financially than their incoming profiles alone would predict.
Azimuth ranks Georgia Southern University #125 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Statesboro, GA, Georgia Southern University enrolls roughly 21,790 undergraduates. Retention stands at 77.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 54.9%, figures that reflect a regional university still working to convert enrollment into degree completion at higher rates. What anchors Georgia Southern University in the composite is mobility. The university sits in the 94.7 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, driven by a student body where 36.2% receive Pell Grants and 25.1% are first-generation college students. That broad-access profile — reinforced by an admission rate of 87.9% — means Georgia Southern University serves a large share of students from backgrounds where a degree represents a genuine inflection point. Affordability adds further support, with the university sitting in the 71.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite. Georgia Southern University sits in the 52.1 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $62,342, which sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Georgia Southern University in the 58.5 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings figures reflect GA's regional labor market and a student population whose post-graduation outcomes represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree-equivalent baseline of $30,928, even where they fall below selective-peer averages. Business is the dominant program family, shaping both the career pathways available to graduates and the institution's overall earnings profile.
Georgia Southern University's published cost of attendance is $24,430, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $12,162 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $14,965, and higher-income families pay approximately $19,789. Azimuth ranks Georgia Southern University #402 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. Georgia Southern participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and Georgia residents may benefit from the HOPE Scholarship, which can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. The gap between sticker price and what most families actually pay reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its access to state grant funding — a dynamic worth understanding before drawing conclusions from the published cost of attendance alone. Families seeking a fuller picture of how aid interacts with net price can explore the net price illusion. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,000; 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 $62,342, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Georgia Southern University is a strong fit for students drawn to business, applied sciences, and professional fields who want a public university experience in GA with a clear path to solid post-graduation earnings. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $62,342, placing Georgia Southern University in the 57.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Georgia Southern University in the 58.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. With 36.2% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 25.1% identifying as first-generation students, Georgia Southern University serves a broad population of cost-sensitive families — and its net price structure and median debt of $23,250 reflect a school built for students who need to borrow responsibly and still reach stable career outcomes. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and applied professional fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and the institution draws primarily from the South region, making it a particularly natural choice for students who plan to build careers in GA or the surrounding area.
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
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Georgia Southern 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.
Georgia Southern University's published cost of attendance is $24,430, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $12,162 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $14,965, and higher-income families pay approximately $19,789.
Azimuth ranks Georgia Southern University #402 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.
Georgia Southern participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and Georgia residents may benefit from the HOPE Scholarship, which can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs for qualifying students. The gap between sticker price and what most families actually pay reflects the university's public-tuition structure and its access to state grant funding — a dynamic worth understanding before drawing conclusions from the published cost of attendance alone.
Families seeking a fuller picture of how aid interacts with net price can explore the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $23,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $16,000; 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 $62,342, median federal debt of $23,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $263 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 of Georgia Southern University earn median earnings of $62,342 four years after enrollment, placing Georgia Southern University in the 57.5 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 58.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still 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.
Business is the dominant program family at Georgia Southern University, accounting for 18% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 7% and Social Sciences at 7%. Nursing combines strong enrollment with competitive pay, anchoring the institution's aggregate return story.
Azimuth ranks Business Administration #55 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/), with 309 graduates earning median earnings of $74,726. The Nursing program graduates 294 students with median earnings of $79,988, and Azimuth ranks Kinesiology #65 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 252 graduates earning median earnings of $55,330.
Psychology, General and Teacher Education round out the top programs, graduating 239 and 221 students respectively, with median earnings of $48,180 and $47,109.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington State University Similar quality tier (#4257 ranked) | WA | 87% | $68,905 | #4257 | Compare |
Georgia State University-Perimeter College Similar quality tier in Southeast (#4258 ranked) | GA | 91% | $47,384 | #4258 | Compare |
University Of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Similar quality tier (#4259 ranked) | CO | 75% | $64,270 | #4259 | Compare |
Northern Arizona University Similar quality tier (#4263 ranked) | AZ | 90% | $54,384 | #4263 | Compare |
Oregon State University Similar quality tier (#4251 ranked) | OR | 77% | $64,010 | #4251 | Compare |
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
107 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
59 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
88 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
157 graduates
Manufacturing Engineering
22 graduates
Georgia Southern University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 18% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 7% and Social Sciences at 7%. Business Administration is the largest program, graduating 309 students annually, followed by Nursing with 294 graduates and Kinesiology with 252 graduates.
The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides broader context for how these fields align with national hiring trends. The strongest earnings come from health-related programs.
Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #154 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 157 graduates earning $87,731. Azimuth ranks Nursing #172 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 294 graduates earning $79,988.
On the business side, Azimuth ranks Business Administration #55 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $74,726 — a solid applied-business outcome that reflects the program's scale and employer connections across Georgia. [How Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains the ranking methodology behind these figures. Nursing and health programs at Georgia Southern University are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes.
Psychology, General, graduating 239 students with median earnings of $48,180, and Teacher Education, graduating 221 students with median earnings of $47,109, represent larger cohorts where early-career pay is more moderate but employment stability tends to be strong. Across 57 programs serving roughly 4,127 students annually, the institution's earnings profile is shaped most by its health and business concentrations, which together account for the majority of high-earning graduates.
