Macon, Georgia Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)

Last updated: June 4, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

TL;DR

EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Macon, Georgia shows: median public in-state tuition $27,650 (+401.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $44,317 (-18.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $21,547 (+60.4% vs U.S.) 11,720 students enrolled statewide.

Key Facts

  • Institutions in this profile: 5 campuses
  • Total college enrollment: 11,720 students
  • Median public in-state tuition: $27,650 (+401.6% vs U.S.)
  • Median earnings 10 years after entry: $44,317 (-18.4% vs U.S.)
  • Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.8% (-0.2 pp vs U.S.)
  • Median net price: $13,568 (+36.1% vs U.S.)
  • Median student debt at graduation: $21,547 (+60.4% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
  • Average completion rate (institutions in state): 44.5%
  • Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 76.0%

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Overview

EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Macon, Georgia—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Georgia and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.

Macon vs Georgia & national benchmarks

Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.

State versus regional and national education metrics
Geography In-state tuition Net price Median debt Completion rate Enrollment
Macon, Georgia$27,650$13,568$21,54744.5%11,720
Georgia (state median)$4,094$9,196$16,41740.8%427,018
United States$5,512$9,967$13,43250.3%14,484,370

Earnings & employment outcomes: Macon, Georgia vs benchmarks

Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.

Earnings and employment outcome benchmarks
Geography Median earnings (10 yr) Working & not enrolled (8 yr) Retention (FT yr 1) 2-yr default 3-yr default 3-yr repayment progress Debt ÷ earnings
Macon, Georgia$44,31787.8%76.0%5.1%—56.5%0.46
Georgia (state median)$47,38487.3%70.9%7.5%—56.6%0.49
United States$54,32387.9%76.3%5.0%—73.7%0.41

Other cities in Georgia (3+ campuses)

Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.

Peer comparison table
City In-state tuition Net price Median debt Completion Enrollment Earnings (10 yr) Working (8 yr)
Macon, Georgia$27,650$13,568$21,54744.5%11,720$44,31787.8%
Atlanta$16,044$19,509$20,90351.0%85,633$50,13682.5%
Athens$7,420$13,936$14,88689.7%35,655$68,72690.4%
Savannah$18,145$22,878$25,63618.6%28,272$36,20178.0%
Statesboro$4,278$10,904$11,75054.9%23,610$53,23689.1%
Lawrenceville$4,028$14,970$11,61621.5%20,572$47,73083.4%
Augusta$11,167$16,812$11,75031.6%10,686$40,90588.1%
Marietta$9,288$30,296$12,49837.9%10,363$47,39777.8%
Marietta$9,288$30,296$12,49837.9%10,363$47,39777.8%
United States$5,512$9,967$13,43250.3%14,484,370$54,32387.9%

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by graduation rate (150% time)

Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.

  1. Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 69.6%, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 25.3%, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)

Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.

  1. Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 88.0%, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 87.8%, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 most selective colleges in Macon, Georgia (lowest admission rate)

Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.

  1. Rank 1, Admission Rate, 68.9%, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Admission Rate, 99.7%, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)

Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.

  1. Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,787, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,650, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

  3. Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,482, Wesleyan College

    Wesleyan College

    Private nonprofit · 400 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)

Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.

  1. Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $96,123, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $88,413, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  3. Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $67,603, Wesleyan College

    Wesleyan College

    Private nonprofit · 400 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)

Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.

  1. Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,231, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,624, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)

Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.

  1. Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $53,833, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,816, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)

Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.

  1. Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $58,354, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,863, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by 10-year ROI

Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.

  1. Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $158,794, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $132,752, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

  3. Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $121,920, Wesleyan College

    Wesleyan College

    Private nonprofit · 400 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 most affordable colleges in Macon, Georgia (net price)

Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.

  1. Rank 1, Net Price, $12,361, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, Net Price, $12,724, Wesleyan College

    Wesleyan College

    Private nonprofit · 400 enrolled · Macon

  3. Rank 3, Net Price, $23,847, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

Top 10 colleges in Macon, Georgia by first-year retention (full-time)

Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.

  1. Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 82.2%, Mercer University

    Mercer University

    Private nonprofit · 4,500 enrolled · Macon

  2. Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 65.3%, Middle Georgia State University

    Middle Georgia State University

    Public · 6,574 enrolled · Macon

In-state tuition: Macon, Georgia vs benchmarks

Sticker price

Macon, Georgia median in-state tuition is $27,650, +401.6% vs the U.S. median.

Student debt: Macon, Georgia vs benchmarks

Borrowing

Median debt at graduation in Macon, Georgia is $21,547 (+60.4% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.

Median earnings (10 years out): Macon, Georgia vs benchmarks

Payoff

Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Macon, Georgia center around $44,317 (-18.4% vs U.S.).

Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.

Employment outcome proxy: Macon, Georgia vs benchmarks

Working & not enrolled

The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.8% at the median Macon, Georgia campus (-0.2 pp vs U.S.).

Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).

Analysis & insights

EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.

Costs & borrowing

Macon, Georgia median public in-state tuition is $27,650, about +401.6% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +453.9%.

Median graduate debt is $21,547 (+60.4% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.

Earnings, employment & retention

Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Macon, Georgia are $44,317, about -18.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).

The median campus reports 87.8% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.2 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.

First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 76.0% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.

Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.1% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 56.5% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.

Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Middle Georgia State University (88.0%), Mercer University (87.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.

Completion & workforce context

Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Macon, Georgia is 44.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).

FAQ

How many colleges are in Macon?

EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 5 campuses in Macon, Georgia with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.

How much does college cost in Macon?

EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Macon is $27,650 and median net price is $13,568. For Georgia overall, medians are $4,094 and $9,196; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.

What do graduates earn in Macon?

EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Macon is $44,317 vs $47,384 for Georgia and $54,323 nationally.

What is student debt like for Macon colleges?

EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Macon is $21,547 vs $16,417 for Georgia and $13,432 nationally.

What are the best colleges in Macon?

EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Mercer University (graduation) and Mercer University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.

Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Macon?

EDsmart Data analysis: among 5 campuses in Macon, Georgia, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (1).

Sources & related