More selective than 28% of Georgia colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $46,010. College Scorecard.
Higher than 31% of Georgia colleges we cover and 16% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 84% of Georgia colleges we cover and 52% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Brenau University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,761 applicants, Brenau University admitted 2,401 and 205 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1200 on the SAT or 18–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Brenau University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Brenau University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Brenau University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Georgia. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $19,481 | $83,573 | 4.1 years |
| $30–48k | $17,379 | $74,556 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $18,420 | $79,022 | 3.9 years |
| $75–110k | $18,279 | $78,417 | 3.8 years |
| $110k+ | $20,426 | $87,628 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (28% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($54,003) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in GA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,487 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Brenau University majors, earnings & careers
Brenau University offers 26 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 7
- Arts & Design · 5
- Education · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Communications & Media · 1
- Science & Math · 1
Highest-earning majors at Brenau University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $88,731 | $42,187 |
| Business | $55,114 | $44,156 |
| Human Resources | $53,693 | — |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $46,138 | $38,250 |
| Psychology | $42,586 | $30,761 |
| Health Administration | $38,591 | $29,648 |
| Theatre | $36,910 | $19,500 |
Quick list of all 26 majors
- Accounting—
- Biology—
- Business$55,114
- Business Administration—
- Communications—
- Dance—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$46,138
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Finance—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration$38,591
- History—
- Human Resources$53,693
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Marketing—
- Music—
- Nursing$88,731
- Psychology$42,586
- Special Education—
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre$36,910
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Gainesville
Overall prices in the Gainesville, GA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,543. Housing costs 7% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 56 inches of rain a year, 2 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Hall County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Hall County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Brenau University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Georgia by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenau University | 88% | $18,924 | 33% | $54,003 | This school |
| Life University | 93% | $29,791 | 38% | $47,397 | |
| Shorter University | 96% | $16,646 | 38% | $44,604 | |
| Truett McConnell University | 78% | $22,227 | 38% | $46,700 | |
| Piedmont University | 93% | $20,599 | 47% | $49,130 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Brenau University would cost you $10,867 less per year than Life University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Brenau University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$18,991).
- Brenau University gives aided families $15,582 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Georgia resident | Brenau University | Life University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $34,027 | $15,036 | +$18,991 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $2,400 | −$1,160 |
| Housing & meals | $12,600 | $13,959 | −$1,359 |
| Personal & travel | $2,900 | $9,900 | −$7,000 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,757 | $0 | −$4,757 |
| Sticker price | $46,010 | $41,295 | +$4,715 |
| Average grants | −$27,086 | −$11,504 | −$15,582 |
| You pay | $18,924 | $29,791 | −$10,867 |
“+” means Brenau University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Brenau University
What is the Brenau University acceptance rate?
Brenau University accepts 88% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,401 of 2,761 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 930–1200 on the SAT or 18–22 on the ACT.
How much does Brenau University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $46,010 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $18,924 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $19,481 and families earning $110k+ pay $20,426.
How much do Brenau University graduates earn?
Former Brenau University students earn a median $54,003 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Brenau University graduation rate?
33% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year.
How long does a Brenau University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Brenau University costs about $79,022 after grants ($18,420 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $54,003 ten years after starting, $20,487 more than high school graduates in Georgia ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Brenau University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/brenau-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).