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Atlanta Metropolitan State College

#2 Best Online Business Programs in Georgia
Public Atlanta, GA · Urban · Southeast · 87% data
A Affordability A Value C- Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
16% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$33,252 D+
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$5,258 A
69% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,228
Earnings -18% vs avg
Graduation -72% vs avg
Net Price +-69% vs avg
Mobility Top 55%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 41.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $41.5 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Online Business Programs in Georgia.

41.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $41.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $851,531.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 16% — 72% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $41.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Atlanta Metropolitan State College

Atlanta Metropolitan State College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
1,228
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Criminal Justice

Why students choose Atlanta Metropolitan State College

Strong STEM core
A heavy concentration in technical fields
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 52% overall
D+
Earnings
$33,252 median
A
Value
6.3× net price
A
Affordability
$5,258/yr net
F
Graduation
16% graduate
C-
Social Mobility
1.4% climb Q1→Q5
F
Diversity
0.23 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Only 16% of students graduate from Atlanta Metropolitan State College, a number that raises important questions about student support and retention. With an enrollment of 1,228, the college serves a diverse population, and many students rely on financial aid, as evidenced by a 53% Pell Grant rate. This statistic highlights the financial challenges faced by many attendees.

When looking at outcomes, graduates earn a median income of $33,252 a decade after enrollment. While specific mobility data isn't available, this figure suggests that while some students find success, many may struggle to achieve significant upward mobility. The college's focus on fields such as Humanities, Business, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice indicates areas where students may gain practical skills for the job market.

Financially, the net price of attendance is relatively low at $5,258, making it accessible for many. However, with a median debt of $14,123, students must navigate the balance between affordability and future financial obligations. Students who thrive here often have clear career goals in mind and appreciate a supportive community as they work toward their degrees.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Atlanta Metropolitan State College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Atlanta Metropolitan State College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 16%.

Retention Rate
45%
Full-Time Faculty
43%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,668
Student–Faculty Ratio
22:1
Diversity Index
0.23
First-Gen Students
39%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Atlanta Metropolitan State College is $10,400, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,258. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,288 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,123 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,248
Out-of-State
$10,400
Avg Net Price
$5,258
Median Debt
$14,123
Pell Grant Rate
53%
Federal Loan Rate
33%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$4,288
Family Income $30K–$48K
$4,184
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,387
Family Income $110K+
$11,740

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Atlanta Metropolitan State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Atlanta Metropolitan State College report median earnings of $33,252, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$26,849
8 Years
$29,071
10 Years
$33,252
Debt-to-Earnings
0.42x
Earning > $25K
37%

Earnings Trajectory

$26,849 6yr $29,071 8yr $33,252 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

How Atlanta Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation16%Earnings 10yr$33KNet Price$5KRetention45%Median Debt$14KPell Grant Rate53%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$4K$0-30K$4K$30-48K$8K$48-75K$12K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%25.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%5.3%MOBILITY1.37%

College ROI Calculator

Is Atlanta Metropolitan State College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Atlanta Metropolitan State College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,258/year ($21,032 total). Graduates earn $33,252 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $872,563 in total earnings — a net gain of $851,531 (41.5× your investment). The median debt is $14,123, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 16% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$21,032
Projected 20yr Earnings
$872,563
Net Return
$851,531
ROI Multiple
41.5×
Cost Per Year
$5,258
Median Debt
$14,123
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
16%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Atlanta Metropolitan State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Atlanta Metropolitan State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.37%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 5.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $38,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.37%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
5.3%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
25.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$38,900

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Atlanta Metropolitan State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.84
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.1%
Support Ratio
0.85
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$542,698
Federal Grants
$3,113,762

Top Programs

The fields Atlanta Metropolitan State College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Atlanta Metropolitan State College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 16%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Atlanta Metropolitan State College is $10,400, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,258. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,288 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $14,123 in federal student loans.

Is Atlanta Metropolitan State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Atlanta Metropolitan State College report median earnings of $33,252, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Atlanta Metropolitan State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Atlanta Metropolitan State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.37%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 5.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $38,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Atlanta Metropolitan State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Atlanta Metropolitan State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys