Board of Regents approves tuition increases across Georgia’s public universities

ATLANTA - The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved a tuition rate adjustment for the 2024-25 academic year, affecting all 26 public colleges and universities within the system.

For in-state undergraduate students, tuition will see a 2.5% increase, while out-of-state tuition will rise by 5%. Additionally, a new tuition category for out-of-country students has been established, setting their fees at 2% above the out-of-state rate.

This decision marks a shift from the board's previous stance, having maintained flat tuition rates at nearly all USG institutions for six of the past eight years. The changes come in response to heightened costs for personnel, goods, and services, along with increased private sector competition for skilled employees and general inflationary pressures.

Over the past eight years, the average tuition increase for an in-state undergraduate student has been less than 1% annually — well below the inflation rate. This commitment to affordability was underscored two years ago when, with support from Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly, the board eliminated the Special Institutional Fee that had been in place since 2009. This fee removal, coinciding with a period of stable tuition rates, has led to significant savings for students, ranging from $340 to $1,088 annually.

USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue emphasized the system's dedication to affordability. "Maintaining affordability is one of the highest priorities of the university system and the Board of Regents," Perdue stated. "We are committed to offering an excellent value to our Georgia students, balancing affordability with the need for institutional sustainability and high academic standards."

Nationally, USG ranks competitively in terms of cost. It stands as the third lowest in average undergraduate tuition and required fees among the 16 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), with the College Board ranking it sixth lowest across the United States.

Middle Georgia State University, which last year was the only USG institution to increase tuition, is concluding a three-year strategy to align its fees with those of comparable universities.

Additionally, the board has restructured the mandatory fee system at 20 of its institutions to better accommodate the surge in fully online course enrollment. The new fee structure equates the online learning fee to the technology fee of each institution, plus 50% of other mandatory fees, enhancing consistency across different learning platforms.

The Board's adjustments respond not only to the needs for financial sustainability but also to the considerable impacts of rising operational costs and the $230 million budget cut faced at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in FY21. The changes aim to maintain the balance between keeping college affordable and ensuring the continued excellence of Georgia’s higher education institutions.

Get the tuition for each school here.