More selective than 50% 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 $20,801. College Scorecard.
Higher than 58% of Georgia colleges we cover and 29% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 67% of Georgia colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Valdosta State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 4,689 applicants, Valdosta State University admitted 3,915 and 1,135 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1100 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Valdosta State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Georgia residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Valdosta State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Valdosta State University took 4.5 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 | $9,378 | $42,389 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $9,541 | $43,125 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $11,877 | $53,684 | 3.4 years |
| $75–110k | $14,906 | $67,375 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $15,905 | $71,891 | 4.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (24% 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 ($49,361) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in GA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,845 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.
Valdosta State University majors, earnings & careers
Valdosta State University offers 45 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 8
- Science & Math · 7
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Education · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Engineering · 1
Highest-earning majors at Valdosta State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $77,890 | $27,301 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $75,310 | $28,500 |
| Information Science / Studies | $71,257 | $25,500 |
| Finance | $68,453 | $26,562 |
| International Business | $63,072 | — |
| Accounting | $60,751 | $25,419 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | $60,715 | $40,347 |
| Marketing | $59,865 | $27,500 |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Accounting$60,751
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- American Sign Language$39,516
- Applied Mathematics—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biology$51,991
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business—
- Business Administration$56,047
- Business Economics—
- Business Operations Support and Assistant Services$60,715
- Chemistry—
- Communications$47,880
- Computer and Information Sciences$75,310
- Criminal Justice$46,593
- Dance—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$46,155
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,863
- English$41,622
- Finance$68,453
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration$53,281
- Health Sciences—
- History$47,595
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Information Science / Studies$71,257
- International Business$63,072
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$58,630
- Legal Support Services—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$40,044
- Marketing$59,865
- Mathematics—
- Music$27,357
- Nursing$77,890
- Philosophy and Religious Studies—
- Physics—
- Political Science$47,035
- Psychology$47,285
- Sociology and Anthropology$41,619
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$55,426
- Studio Art$31,539
- Theatre—
— 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 →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Living in Valdosta
Overall prices in the Valdosta, GA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,179. Housing costs 41% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 55 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Lowndes County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lowndes County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Valdosta State University with similar schools
Similar public 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta State University | 72% | $10,945 | 42% | $49,361 | This school |
| Clayton State University | 68% | $8,365 | 40% | $49,179 | |
| Albany State University | — | $11,898 | 31% | $40,674 | |
| Augusta University | 86% | $13,787 | 49% | $48,472 | |
| Georgia College & State University | 78% | $20,686 | 64% | $58,140 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Valdosta State University would cost you $2,580 more per year than Clayton State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Valdosta State University, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$2,871).
- Valdosta State University gives aided families $806 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Georgia resident | Valdosta State University | Clayton State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $6,124 | $5,180 | +$944 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,822 | −$622 |
| Housing & meals | $8,922 | $11,104 | −$2,182 |
| Personal & travel | $6,246 | $3,375 | +$2,871 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,691 | −$4,066 | +$2,375 |
| Sticker price | $20,801 | $17,415 | +$3,386 |
| Average grants | −$9,856 | −$9,050 | −$806 |
| You pay | $10,945 | $8,365 | +$2,580 |
“+” means Valdosta State 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 Valdosta State University
What is the Valdosta State University acceptance rate?
Valdosta State University accepts 72% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,915 of 4,689 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1100 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
How much does Valdosta State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $20,801 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $10,945 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,378 and families earning $110k+ pay $15,905.
How much do Valdosta State University graduates earn?
Former Valdosta State University students earn a median $49,361 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Valdosta State University graduation rate?
42% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year.
How long does a Valdosta State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Valdosta State University costs about $53,684 after grants ($11,877 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $49,361 ten years after starting, $15,845 more than high school graduates in Georgia ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.4 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: “Valdosta State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valdosta-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).