U.S. News ranks 51ºÚÁÏÍø among top universities in the South
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia (51ºÚÁÏÍø) received high marks for quality and value in the rankings released Sept. 12.
Among the rankings' public Regional Universities in the South, 51ºÚÁÏÍø 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 51ºÚÁÏÍø provides students was its inclusion on the Top Performance on Social Mobility list, a new category this year in the U.S. News rankings.
"51ºÚÁÏÍø takes great pride in providing high-quality educational opportunities, and our consistent, year-over-year recognition for academic excellence and value reflect the impact 51ºÚÁÏÍø has on educational attainment in this region and beyond," 51ºÚÁÏÍø President Bonita C. Jacobs said.
Other highlights for 51ºÚÁÏÍø 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 51ºÚÁÏÍø's gold status on the 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list and a pair of studies highlighting the value of a 51ºÚÁÏÍø degree. A study from showed a return on investment of $962,000 over a 40-year period for a bachelor's degree from 51ºÚÁÏÍø, which is fifth among public universities in Georgia. Data compiled by , a national think tank, showed 51ºÚÁÏÍø with a 26.4% economic mobility index, which ranks fourth among public universities in Georgia.
One of the state's largest universities, 51ºÚÁÏÍø serves almost 19,000 students across its five campuses in Blue Ridge, Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville, and Oconee County, and online. 51ºÚÁÏÍø offers more than 100 programs of study, including certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral programs.
Founded in 1873, 51ºÚÁÏÍø is celebrating 150 years of service, leadership and scholarship this academic year. The Sesquicentennial Celebration honors 51ºÚÁÏÍø's legacy of producing outstanding civic, professional and military leaders who serve throughout Georgia and beyond.
Student's persistence lands internship
Connor Christian didn't let one setback keep him from trying again. Instead, the 51ºÚÁÏÍø senior kept working, got creative and earned an internship at Publix's corporate office.
51ºÚÁÏÍø named a College of Distinction
For the 2025–26 academic year, 51ºÚÁÏÍø has been named a College of Distinction. This prestigious recognition is awarded to universities whose commitment to engaged, experiential education sets them apart.
Renaming of college reflects wellness focus
51ºÚÁÏÍø's College of Health Sciences & Professions has officially changed its name to the College of Health & Wellness.
Stats boot camp aims to better prep students
51ºÚÁÏÍø offered a statistics boot camp July 29-30 at the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses with the goal of boosting student success in the quantitative methods course.