Media release from the University System of Georgia:
The overall number of degrees awarded by University System of Georgia (USG) institutions in FY2024 increased by 1.8% over the previous fiscal year, reaching a new all-time high of 76,571 degrees conferred annually.
The number of degrees awarded has risen by 39.6% since USG joined the Complete College America alliance in 2011 and prioritized increasing degree completion in Georgia. Over the same period, system enrollment increased 8.3%, meaning the rate of awarding degrees continues to far outpace enrollment.
“USG and our 26 public colleges and universities take pride in making sure students complete their degrees, and today you’re seeing the impact of that work in communities across Georgia,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “We’re building momentum toward being the best public university system in the nation and continuing to help increase the state’s economic development and families’ long-term prosperity. I congratulate all our graduates and look forward to more success ahead.”
Among the new data, USG graduate and professional degrees awarded rose to 25,028 — a 2.1% increase over the previous year. During that same period, USG undergraduates earned 51,543 degrees, a 1.6% increase over FY2023.
Several ongoing initiatives have helped promote higher education and degree completion. Among them, USG in 2022 launched a website called Georgia Degrees Pay to make it easier for students and families to learn about USG programs and their impact.
Georgia Degrees Pay provides data on everything from student success, costs, affordability and earning potential — allowing stakeholders to access data comparing student progress, success rates, borrowing, debt and average earnings by degree for every one of USG’s institutions.
Other initiatives have included the Georgia Momentum Approach, which among other efforts uses predictive analytics and intrusive advising to strengthen students’ transition to college. USG has also provided students with clear, term-on-term academic program maps, transformed remediation for students with gaps in college preparation, increased the number of credits students take each semester, focused on supporting productive academic mindsets and invested in active, innovative teaching practices to improve student access and increase graduation rates.
The steady increase since 2011 in the number of degrees awarded also comes as the value of a USG degree has shown to be significant. According to a recent study, USG graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree will earn over $1.4 million more during their lifetimes than they would have without their college degree.
Graduate and professional degrees add to those average career earnings, in some cases with additional earnings of more than $2 million over a USG graduate’s lifetime.