Georgia Highlands College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Georgia Highlands College charges a net price of $6,928/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,856. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,184, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Georgia Highlands College does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 of 100 Georgia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,928/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,856 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,184 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,176/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$117,376 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Georgia Highlands College's own numbers. Net price $6,928 × 2 years = $13,856 total. Median earnings $43,184 fall $5,176 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $13,856 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Georgia Highlands College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $43,184 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Georgia Highlands College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,856 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $65,981 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Georgia Highlands College expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $6,928 net price runs $8,747 below the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, and $17,494 less across the full degree.