University System of Georgia Sets Tuition for 2025-2026 Academic Year

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) voted today to approve tuition rates for the 2025-26 academic year at USG’s 26 public colleges and universities. There will be no tuition increase for most in-state undergraduates, while out-of-state tuition will increase by 2%, and out-of-country tuition will rise by 3%.

This will be the seventh time in 10 years that the Board has approved keeping overall tuition costs flat for Georgia students across most institutions in the university system. USG’s strong commitment to keeping college affordable has meant average tuition increases for an undergraduate, in-state Georgia student over the past decade have been less than 1%, well below the rate of inflation.

While tuition overall will remain flat for most in-state undergraduates, the Board approved exceptions for the University of North Georgia (UNG) and Albany State University (ASU). Both are set to begin the first in a three-year plan to bring undergraduate tuition into alignment across all programs at each institution. This means increases ranging from $21 per credit hour at ASU to $24 per credit hour at UNG for any undergraduates currently paying less than the prevailing tuition rate.

“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. “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 Board today additionally approved changes to mandatory fees at eight of USG’s 26 institutions. Among the eight institutions, fee changes at two of those institutions will result in reduced fees for students.

Building on these cost-reduction efforts, an independent performance audit released Dec. 18, 2024, by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts found that USG tuition declined by more than 24% after adjusting for inflation. This means students today are paying, on average, less in tuition than they were in 2017 when adjusted for inflation.

USG institutions are providing services at lower costs to in-state students than their peers. In fact, the audit found that increases in HOPE Scholarship award amounts have further reduced the net cost of attendance for the in-state students receiving HOPE by 43%.

The report also noted the Board’s decision three years ago to eliminate a mandatory Special Institutional Fee, which was originally established in 2009 during the Great Recession to bolster academic programs. With support from Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly, the fee’s elimination reduced college costs by saving students between $340 and $1,088 annually starting in the 2022-23 academic year.

This and other efforts have solidified USG’s standing as one of the most affordable university systems in the South and nationally. Among the 16 Southern Regional Education Board states, Georgia is third lowest in average undergraduate tuition and required fees compared to its public peers, according to national data from the College Board. College Board data also ranks USG as the sixth lowest in average tuition and fees compared to its peers across the nation.

The decision to keep tuition flat for most in-state undergraduates comes a year after the Board voted to increase in-state undergraduate tuition by 2.5%.

View tuition rates for each institution.