Will College Tuition Rise In GA? See 2025-26 Rates

GEORGIA — State education officials on this week released the 2025-26 tuition rates for Georgia's 26 post-secondary institutions, announcing elevated rates for out-of-state and out-of-country students effective fall 2025.

Additionally, the board considered mandatory fees, approving a measure that would alter them at eight colleges and universities, the USG said. Students at two of the institutions will benefit from reduced fees.

Most in-state students will not face an increase in tuition for the seventh time in 10 years, according to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Tuition at Albany State University and University of North Georgia will be raised to fall in line with other post-secondary institutions, with costs increasing by $21 and $24 per credit hour respectively, the USG said.

Any undergraduates paying less than the designated tuition rate will be subject to the surge as the first phase of a three-year plan.

Otherwise tuition will stay flat for in-state students, a year after the Board of Regents voted to inflate the cost by 2.5 percent, the USG said.

Tuition for the upcoming academic year will rise by 2 percent for out-of-state students and by 3 percent for students not from the U.S.

Contextually, in-state students taking more than six credit hours at the University of Georgia - one of the state's most notable universities - will pay $5,017 at a flat rate. At UGA, out-of-state students will pay $15,439, and out-of-country students will pay $15,887.

Attending the Georgia Institute of Technology will be a bit more costly, with out-of-country students paying the most expensive price of $17,286 for more than six credit hours.

Institutions on the lower end of the tuition pole for in-state students during the 2025-26 academic year will be Perimeter College at Georgia State University, South Georgia State College, Georgia Highlands College and East Georgia State College.

The board on Tuesday approved East Georgia to merge with Georgia Southern University. The final vote on the consolidation will come from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the USG said.

“USG and the Board of Regents remain focused on keeping college affordable for Georgia families to ensure higher education stays within reach across the state,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a news release. “As more students than ever enroll on our campuses, we continue to prioritize reducing financial barriers and offering excellent value. Coupled with today’s decision, USG is making a real investment in Georgia’s future — ensuring that a college degree can help more Georgians unlock opportunities for personal prosperity and contribute to the state’s growth.”

The USG laid claim that Georgia is home to some of the most affordable universities in the South and the U.S.

Students attending Georgia colleges and universities are paying less in tuition after the cost dropped by at least 24 percent in 2017, when it was adjusted for inflation, the USG said.

Of the 16 Southern Regional Education Board states, the USG said Georgia is third lowest in average undergraduate tuition and required fees. Nationally, Georgia is the sixth lowest for average tuition and fees.

With the elimination of the special institutional fee, which was established in 2009, students began saving between $340 and $1,088 annually during the 2022-23 academic year, the USG said.

See a full list of tuition rates for the USG's 26 colleges and universities.