Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Savannah State University #394 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Savannah State University sits in the 66.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $1,830 more than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #28 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Savannah State University's composite ranking reflects a broad-access public university that delivers earnings beyond expectations for the students it serves, with particular strength in business-focused pathways. The access ranking underscores the university's commitment to opening doors for students who might otherwise face significant barriers to a four-year degree.
Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #394 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Savannah, GA, Savannah State University enrolls roughly 2,833 undergraduates. Retention and completion figures reflect the institution's student population and resource context, with a six-year graduation rate of 28.0% and a freshman retention rate of 74.7%. The composite is anchored by what Savannah State University does for the students it serves. 67.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 32.8% are first-generation college students — a profile that places Savannah State University among the more access-oriented institutions in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #1261 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $46,912, and Savannah State University sits in the 66.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, meaning graduates earn about $1,830 more than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions. The dominant program concentration in Business shapes much of this earnings profile. Access and mobility sit at the center of Savannah State University's identity. Azimuth ranks the institution in the 98.2 percentile for access and the 49.0 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a mission oriented toward serving students who are often the first in their families to pursue a degree. Affordability sits in the 79.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, a figure shaped by the institution's public pricing structure and the income profile of its student body.
Savannah State University has a published cost of attendance of $17,191. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $6,739, middle-income families pay around $9,882, and higher-income families pay approximately $12,597. Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #294 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. Savannah State University participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The gap between published cost and net price reflects the institution's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels. Families should review the specific aid packages they receive, as individual circumstances and merit aid eligibility can shift the actual out-of-pocket cost. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $28,000. Families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,692; 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 $46,912, median federal debt of $28,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $316 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Savannah State University is a fit for students who want a public four-year option in GA and are weighing outcomes against cost. Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #388 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $46,912, placing Savannah State University in the 8.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,830 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 66.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Published cost of attendance is $17,191. After need-based aid, low-income families pay approximately $6,739, middle-income families pay around $9,882, higher-income families pay approximately $12,597. Students should weigh those current cost and earnings figures against the school's program mix before treating the fit as primarily an earnings, affordability, or access story.
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 Savannah State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
9 graduates
Information Science/Studies
9 graduates
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
14 graduates
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
8 graduates
Political Science and Government
11 graduates
Savannah State University's program mix is anchored in Business, reflecting the university's identity as a historically Black public institution in Savannah oriented toward applied professional fields. The largest programs by graduate volume include Business Administration, Biology, General, and Criminal Justice, alongside Journalism and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies.
Across 21 programs serving roughly 384 students annually, the institution concentrates degree output in fields with direct workforce pathways — a pattern consistent with its regional public-university mission. The strongest earnings outcomes at Savannah State University are led by Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other, where graduates earn median earnings of $58,382 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #4 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Criminal Justice follows with graduates earning $51,430, and Azimuth ranks the program #159 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration rounds out the top-earning cluster with graduates earning $46,957 four years after enrollment, per [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
The institution's highest-aggregate-return program is Business Administration, which combines meaningful cohort scale with solid earnings — making it a key driver of overall graduate outcomes at Savannah State University. Business and related applied fields represent the dominant pathway for graduates entering the regional labor market, with most programs feeding directly into the workforce rather than graduate school.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with labor-market conditions in the Southeast.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Savannah State University has a published cost of attendance of $17,191. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $6,739, middle-income families pay around $9,882, and higher-income families pay approximately $12,597.
Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #294 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.
Savannah State University participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The gap between published cost and net price reflects the institution's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels.
Families should review the specific aid packages they receive, as individual circumstances and merit aid eligibility can shift the actual out-of-pocket cost. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $28,000.
Families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,692; 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 $46,912, median federal debt of $28,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $316 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 Savannah State University earn median 4-year earnings of $46,912, placing Savannah State University in the 8.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,830 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 66.0 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Savannah State University #1262 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 68 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $46,957, ranked #342 nationally in its major. Biology, General reports 41 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $45,983, ranked #353 nationally in its major.
Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 34 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $51,430, ranked #169 nationally in its major. Journalism reports 33 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $39,677, ranked #114 nationally in its major.
