Georgia State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Georgia State University charges a net price of $15,931/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $63,724. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,384, 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 State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #28 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) | $15,931/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $63,724 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,384 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$976/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,903 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$83,244 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Georgia State University's own numbers. Net price $15,931 × 4 years = $63,724 total. Median earnings $47,384 fall $976 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 $63,724 bill in about 6.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Georgia State University students graduate with?
A median $20,903 in federal loans among completers, or 44% of the $47,384 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Georgia State University students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $63,724 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $120,234 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Georgia State University expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $15,931 net price runs $256 above the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, or $1,024 more across the full degree.