Gordon State College
Barnesville, GA 30204
About Gordon State College
Gordon State College is a public community college in Barnesville, Georgia, serving roughly 2,544 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $8,105 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $3,628. Student demographics in federal data include White (48.0%) and Black or African American (39.9%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Gordon State College charges 34% below the national public median tuition ($3,628).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the Georgia median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 20.43%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $37,871.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Gordon State College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1068% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon State College | $3,628 | $8,105 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Georgia (state median) | $8,492 | $9,196 | 117 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Gordon State College really?
Key findings
- Gordon State College charges 34% below the national public median tuition ($3,628).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the Georgia median net price.
Gordon State College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $3,628
Finding Gordon State College charges 34% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $3,628. That is 34% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Georgia median ($8,492), sticker tuition is about 0.4×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.3×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Gordon State College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Gordon State College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Gordon State College is $8,105.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $8,105 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,092 below the Georgia median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $6,866 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Gordon State College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Gordon State College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Gordon State College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$3,628
Out-of-state tuition
$10,948
Avg. net price
$8,105
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,912 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $6,817 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,435 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,326 |
| $110,001+ | $12,615 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $14,512. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Gordon State College is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse100
- Business Administration and Management, General92
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies78
- Elementary Education and Teaching55
- Psychology, General32
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 40% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1023
- Midpoint ACT: 20
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Gordon State College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Gordon State College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Gordon State College.
Campus
Location
Barnesville, GA
City / state
- ZIP
- 30204
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Medical Schools and Centers
Size
Enrollment
2,544
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,698
- Full-time share
- 66%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$17,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 48.43%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Gordon State College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Gordon State College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Gordon State College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $3,408 | $9,695 | $8,798 |
| 2014 | $3,510 | $9,937 | $11,175 |
| 2015 | $3,551 | $10,158 | $11,187 |
| 2016 | $3,974 | $11,719 | $13,651 |
| 2017 | $3,828 | $10,010 | $10,074 |
| 2018 | $3,828 | $10,010 | $10,709 |
| 2019 | $4,084 | $11,946 | $9,935 |
| 2020 | $3,789 | $10,695 | $9,297 |
| 2021 | $3,789 | $10,695 | $8,925 |
| 2022 | $3,475 | $10,381 | $8,844 |
| 2023 | $3,475 | $10,381 | $8,918 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1023 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 20 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Gordon State College reported total enrollment of about 2,544 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 32% male and 68% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (48.0%), Black or African American (39.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (6.3%). About 48.43% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 37.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
65.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Gordon State College in 2024 is 2,544 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,698 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
51.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
8.89% 100% Completion Time
20.43% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 8.89% of students graduating from Gordon State College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 12% male / 88% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 47% male / 53% female
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 22% male / 78% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Gordon State College graduates earn a median of $37,871 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Gordon State College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $37,871. Median federal loan debt: $17,500. Average net price used in cost models: $8,105.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Gordon State College graduates report median earnings of $37,871 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Gordon State College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (22 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Gordon State College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Gordon State College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Gordon State College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$4.3M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Georgia median 0.10× the median ($41.7M)
- Southeast median 0.22× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.16× the median ($26.4M)
- Georgia median 0.18× the median ($9,839)
- Southeast median 0.20× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.15× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 43.3%
- Georgia median 19.0 pp below median (62.3%)
- Southeast median 16.1 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 14.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,589
- Georgia median 1.2× the median ($6,152)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $4,910
- Georgia median 0.85× the median ($5,760)
- Southeast median 0.74× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.67× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Gordon State College at a glance
Gordon State College
Gordon State College is a public institution in Barnesville, GA, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Medical Schools and Centers.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralLiberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian48.0%Black or African American39.9%Hispanic or Latino6.3%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Gordon State College
Other campuses in Barnesville, GA when available, plus nearby institutions in Georgia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within Georgia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gordon State College located?
Gordon State College is located in Barnesville, GA.
What is Gordon State College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Gordon State College is 85.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,126 applicants and 1,845 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Gordon State College's tuition?
Gordon State College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $3,628 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $8,105 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Gordon State College cost?
Reported tuition is $3,628 and average net price is $8,105 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,444 annually.
What explains Gordon State College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($8,105), completion (20.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($37,871). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Gordon State College?
Gordon State College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,698 students, White (48.0%), Black or African American (39.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Gordon State College?
About 37.8% of students at Gordon State College are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Gordon State College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Gordon State College reports midpoint SAT about 1023 and midpoint ACT about 20.
What do graduates of Gordon State College earn?
Median earnings are $33,163 six years after entry and $37,871 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Gordon State College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 20.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Gordon State College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $17,500.
Is Gordon State College public or private?
Gordon State College is a public institution located in Barnesville, GA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.