Gordon State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Gordon State College charges a net price of $8,105/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $32,420. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,871, 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, Gordon State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 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) | $8,105/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $32,420 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,871 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,489/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $17,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$242,200 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Gordon State College's own numbers. Net price $8,105 × 4 years = $32,420 total. Median earnings $37,871 fall $10,489 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 $32,420 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Gordon State College students graduate with?
A median $17,500 in federal loans among completers, or 46% of the $37,871 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Gordon State College students graduate?
20% finish their degree — 80% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $32,420 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $162,100 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Gordon State College expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $8,105 net price runs $7,570 below the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, and $30,280 less across the full degree.