University of North Georgia
#2 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Georgia- Graduation Rate
- 37% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $50,135 B-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $9,823 B
- 43% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 68% B-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.6 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Georgia.
Every $1 spent returns $30.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,162,681.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Earnings 23% above the national college median.
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Graduation of 37% — 35% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why University of North Georgia Matters
University of North Georgia is a public university in Dahlonega, GA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 16,146
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions
Why students choose University of North Georgia
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 68% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 980–1210. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $9,823 a year after grants and scholarships — 43% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $50,135 ten years after enrolling — 23% above the typical college, against $17,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 64% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.45 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of over 16,000 students, the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega is an appealing choice for those seeking a solid education in fields like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions, and Education. The acceptance rate of 68% suggests that while the school is accessible, it still maintains a level of selectivity. This makes it a good fit for students who are looking for a balanced academic environment where they can explore their interests and prepare for their careers.
Graduates from UNG can expect a median earning of $50,135 a decade after finishing their degree. This number highlights the potential for financial stability following graduation, especially when you consider that 28% of students are receiving Pell Grants, which often supports those with lower incomes. While the graduation rate sits at 37%, many students find pathways to success through various support systems and resources available on campus, which can help them advance in their careers once they leave.
When it comes to the financial side of things, the net price for attending UNG is around $9,823 after aid, which is quite manageable compared to many other institutions. The median debt for graduates is $17,750, suggesting that students can graduate with a relatively low financial burden. This affordability, coupled with the diverse programs that cater to a variety of interests and career goals, attracts a broad range of students who are motivated to succeed and ready to engage with their studies.
Rankings
- #2 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Georgia
- #3 Best Communications Colleges in Georgia
- #4 Best Bachelor's Programs in Georgia
- #4 Best Master's Programs in Georgia
- #4 Best Education Colleges in Georgia
- #5 Best Colleges in Georgia
- #5 Best Online Colleges in Georgia
- #6 Best Computer Science Colleges in Georgia
Can I Get In?
How selective University of North Georgia is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of North Georgia? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Dahlonega, Georgia, University of North Georgia offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 68% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,106. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 68%
- Retention Rate
- 73%
- SAT Average
- 1106
- ACT Midpoint
- 23
- SAT Range
- 980–1210
- ACT Range
- 19–25
- Full-Time Faculty
- 72%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,231
- Diversity Index
- 0.51
- First-Gen Students
- 34%
- Applicants
- 11,920
- Admitted
- 8,300
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26
The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of North Georgia is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 44% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 44%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 39%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 15%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 54% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
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 University of North Georgia? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of North Georgia is $16,503, 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 $9,823. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,981 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $17,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,285
- Out-of-State
- $16,503
- Avg Net Price
- $9,823
- Median Debt
- $17,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 20%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,981
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,261
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,118
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,481
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of North Georgia — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is University of North Georgia Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of North Georgia earn a median of $50,135, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $43,085
- 8 Years
- $47,499
- 10 Years
- $50,135
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.35x
- Earning > $25K
- 67%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (447)
- 31%
- 100% (447)
- 31%
- 100% (447)
- 31%
- 100% (447)
- 31%
How University Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is University of North Georgia Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, University of North Georgia delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,823/year ($39,292 total). Graduates earn $50,135 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,201,973 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,162,681 (30.6× your investment). The median debt is $17,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 37% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $39,292
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,201,973
- Net Return
- $1,162,681
- ROI Multiple
- 30.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $9,823
- Median Debt
- $17,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 37%
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 University of North Georgia Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of North Georgia 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 1.22%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.22%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 26.7%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $130,838
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields University of North Georgia awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 17% $38,698 early-career
- Business & Marketing 15% $54,296 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 9% $62,243 early-career
- Health Professions 8% $71,330 early-career
- Education 8% $44,638 early-career
- Psychology 6% $33,550 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $37,806 early-career
- Criminal Justice 5% $44,945 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of North Georgia's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of North Georgia? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Dahlonega, Georgia, University of North Georgia offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 68% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,106. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of North Georgia? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of North Georgia is $16,503, 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 $9,823. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,981 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $17,750 in federal student loans.
Is University of North Georgia Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of North Georgia earn a median of $50,135, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does University of North Georgia Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of North Georgia 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 1.22%, well above the typical college. About 4.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is University of North Georgia? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of North Georgia. Its economic connectedness score is 1.45, 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 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Is University of North Georgia really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 54% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of North Georgia (2025-26 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of North Georgia?
About 44% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of North Georgia — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of North Georgia.
- Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN · Close peer54% grad $48,541 earn 69% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- University of MemphisMemphis, TN · Close peer50% grad $48,458 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Valdosta State UniversityValdosta, GA · Close peer42% grad $49,361 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY · Close peer50% grad $45,795 earn 78% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Close peer50% grad $50,220 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity
- Clayton State UniversityMorrow, GA · Close peer38% grad $49,179 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is University of North Georgia? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of North Georgia. Its economic connectedness score is 1.45, 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 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note