2026 Best Value Finance Schools in Georgia
[Finance](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/finance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for finance students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Finance Schools in Georgia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the finance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Finance Schools
For return on investment in finance, no school beat University Of North Georgia this year. Located in the town of Dahlonega, University Of North Georgia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,444 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,956. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $16,650. Finance graduates of University Of North Georgia earn a median of $51,044 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Georgia admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Dalton State College one of the best values for finance. Set in the city of Dalton, Dalton State College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,336, compared with $10,656 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $14,955. Finance graduates of Dalton State College earn a median of $41,654 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,955 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in finance will find it at University Of Georgia, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $31,688. Students borrow a median of $20,299 to complete the finance program here. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $67,444. That is a strong return on a $20,299 median debt. The acceptance rate is 38%.
A rank of #4 makes Valdosta State University one of the best values for finance. Located in the city of Valdosta, Valdosta State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,124 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,836. Students borrow a median of $26,562 to complete the finance program here. Finance graduates of Valdosta State University earn a median of $43,532 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,562 median debt. Valdosta State University admits about 72% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in finance will find it at Columbus State University, which ranked #5. Columbus State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,898, with out-of-state students paying around $17,610. Students borrow a median of $25,488 to complete the finance program here. Early-career finance graduates make about $46,812. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbus State University admits about 99% of applicants.
University Of West Georgia earned the #6 position for value in finance this year. Located in the town of Carrollton, University Of West Georgia is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,088, with out-of-state students paying around $17,800. Students borrow a median of $25,571 to complete the finance program here. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from University Of West Georgia generally make around $52,078. That is a strong return on a $25,571 median debt. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Georgia State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value finance schools. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,664, while out-of-state students pay about $24,840. Students borrow a median of $24,250 to complete the finance program here. Finance graduates of Georgia State University earn a median of $56,344 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Georgia Southern University placed #8 among the best values for finance. Located in the town of Statesboro, Georgia Southern University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,022 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,734. Students borrow a median of $24,656 to complete the finance program here. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Georgia Southern University generally make around $50,753. Set against $24,656 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Kennesaw State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value finance schools. Set in the suburb of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,808, while out-of-state students pay about $17,736. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the finance program here. Finance graduates of Kennesaw State University earn a median of $54,428 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Berry College earned the #10 position for value in finance this year. Set in the suburb of Mount Berry, Berry College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,486. Students borrow a median of $24,797 to complete the finance program here. Early-career finance graduates make about $50,785. Set against $24,797 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Mercer University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value finance schools. Located in the city of Macon, Mercer University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,565. Finance graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career finance graduates make about $47,956. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
