University Of North Georgia

University of South Carolina-Columbia's published cost of attendance is $18,177, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $6,981 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $10,118, and higher-income families pay approximately $13,481.

Azimuth ranks University of North Georgia #88 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.

Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of cost for qualifying students. The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay — sometimes called the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — is most pronounced for low-income families, where institutional and federal grant aid can substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Middle- and higher-income families see a narrower discount, which is typical of public universities operating within state-tuition structures and more limited endowment-funded aid. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,750, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,100; 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 $55,974, median federal debt of $17,750 projects to a monthly payment of about $201 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 University of North Georgia earn median 4-year earnings of $55,974, placing the institution in the 30.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,815 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of North Georgia in the 23.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent meaningful lifetime returns relative to GA's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential). Azimuth ranks University of North Georgia #1083 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 26.8 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects University of North Georgia's focus on Business, which accounts for 20% of graduates. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing is the largest program with 209 graduates earning median earnings of $81,887 four years after enrollment. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing #192 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Azimuth ranks Business Administration, Management and Operations #144 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 197 graduates earning $63,973, and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ranks #81 nationally with 176 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $50,102.

University of North Georgia's program mix is anchored in business and applied professional fields — a signature well-matched to the institution's regional public university identity in northern Georgia. Business is the dominant program family, with Business accounting for 20% of graduates, followed by Education at 8% and Social Sciences at 5%.

Across 34 programs serving roughly 2,252 students annually, the institution's strongest financial outcomes cluster in business, nursing, and applied technical fields. Nursing anchors the institution's economic profile, combining meaningful cohort scale with competitive four-year earnings.

Nursing is the largest program by graduate count, with 209 graduates earning median earnings of $81,887 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks Nursing #219 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and Teacher Education also enroll substantial cohorts of 197 and 176 graduates respectively, with median earnings of $63,973 and $50,102 four years out.

The highest-earning programs at University of North Georgia are concentrated in fields with direct workforce entry. Nursing leads on median earnings at $81,887 four years after enrollment, with Azimuth ranking the program #219 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Business Administration and Digital Marketing follow, with graduates earning median earnings of $63,973 and $61,155 respectively — both high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes.