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U.S. News ranks Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ among top universities in the South

September 12, 2022
Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ was among the South's top universities in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings.

Article By: Clark Leonard

The University of North Georgia (Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ) received high marks for quality and value in the rankings released Sept. 12.

Among the rankings' public Regional Universities in the South, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ is the No. 1 university in Georgia on the Best Value Colleges and Least Debt lists, and it is the top-ranked Georgia school on the list of Best Colleges for Veterans.

Overall, the university tied for 18th among public Regional Universities in the South, and it is the second-highest ranking Georgia university on the list.

Further underscoring the return on investment Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ provides students was its inclusion on the Top Performance on Social Mobility list, a new category this year in the U.S. News rankings.

"Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ takes great pride in providing high-quality educational opportunities, and our consistent, year-over-year recognition for academic excellence and value reflect the impact Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ has on educational attainment in this region and beyond," Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ President Bonita C. Jacobs said.

Other highlights for Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ from the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings were:

  • Tied for sixth among public universities in Georgia on the Best Undergraduate Business Programs list.
  • Tied for sixth among public universities in Georgia on the Undergraduate Computer Science Programs ranking.

The U.S. News Best Colleges rankings evaluate colleges and universities on 17 measures of academic quality. The results allow students and their families to compare at a glance the quality of U.S. institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence such as first-year student retention, graduation rates and the strength of the faculty. 

Other recent rankings include Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ's gold status on the 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list and a pair of studies highlighting the value of a Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ degree. A study from  showed a return on investment of $962,000 over a 40-year period for a bachelor's degree from Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ, which is fifth among public universities in Georgia. Data compiled by , a national think tank, showed Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ with a 26.4% economic mobility index, which ranks fourth among public universities in Georgia.

One of the state's largest universities, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ serves almost 19,000 students across its five campuses in Blue Ridge, Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville, and Oconee County, and online. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ offers more than 100 programs of study, including certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral programs.

Founded in 1873, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ is celebrating 150 years of service, leadership and scholarship this academic year. The Sesquicentennial Celebration honors Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ's legacy of producing outstanding civic, professional and military leaders who serve throughout Georgia and beyond.


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