South Georgia State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
South Georgia State College charges a net price of $8,767/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,534. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,697, 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, South Georgia State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #58 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) | $8,767/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,534 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,697 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,663/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$270,794 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South Georgia State College's own numbers. Net price $8,767 × 2 years = $17,534 total. Median earnings $35,697 fall $12,663 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 $17,534 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do South Georgia State College students graduate with?
A median $11,500 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $35,697 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of South Georgia State College students graduate?
16% finish their degree — 84% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,534 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $109,588 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South Georgia State College expensive compared with other Georgia colleges?
Its $8,767 net price runs $6,908 below the $15,675 median across the 100 Georgia colleges we profile, and $13,816 less across the full degree.