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Dalton, GA · Barnesville, GA
| Dalton State College | Gordon State College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $5,012/yr | $8,105/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $3,962/yr | $6,912/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $12,937 | $17,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $3,788/yr | $6,817/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $6,042/yr | $9,435/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $8,114/yr | $12,326/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $10,055/yr | $12,615/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $137/mo | $186/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $10,419/yr | $10,444/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,255/yr | $14,002/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,250/yr | $2,000/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,270/yr | $3,376/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $12,719/yr | $14,771/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $3,336/yr | $3,628/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $10,656/yr | $10,948/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 50% | 48% |
| Students taking federal loans | 14% | 36% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | No data reported | 86% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 890–1130 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1023 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 15–24 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 14–22 · Math 15–21 |
| Admissions data from | No data reported | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | No data reported | 2,126 |
| Students accepted | No data reported | 1,845 |
| Students who enrolled | No data reported | 729 |
| Accepted students who enroll | No data reported | 40% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 1% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 8% |
| High-school GPA | No data reported | Required |
| High-school transcript | No data reported | Required |
| Essay | No data reported | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | No data reported | Not considered |
| Class rank | No data reported | Not considered |
| College-prep program | No data reported | Not considered |
| Demonstrated competencies | No data reported | Not considered |
| Work experience | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | No data reported | Required |
| Other admission tests | No data reported | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | No data reported | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 25% | 20% |
| Freshmen who come back | 71% | 51% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $40,251/yr | $37,871/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $24,619–$56,194 | $20,411–$55,521 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 33% | 28% |
| White students graduating | 26% | 33% |
| Black students graduating | 14% | 12% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 28% | 14% |
| Asian students graduating | 30% | 60% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $37,491/yr | $33,163/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 60% | 57% |
| Graduate on time | 7.8% | 8.9% |
| Pell students who graduate | 25% | 16% |
| First-gen students who finish | 29% | 21% |
| Low-income students who finish | 26% | 19% |
| Students who transfer out | 31% | 47% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $38,970/yr | $36,740/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 31% · Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 15% | Health Professions 25% · Business, Management & Marketing 22% · Education 14% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 31% of degrees | Health Professions — 25% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 22% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 15% of degrees | Education — 14% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 8% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 13% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees | Psychology — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $78,830/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $77,695/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 11% | 10% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 4,553 | 2,544 |
| Students per professor | 21 : 1 | 20 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $7,570/mo | $7,589/mo |
| Full-time professors | 66% | 43% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $31,184 | $29,199 |
| Setting | City (small) | Town (distant) |
| Location | Dalton, GA | Barnesville, GA |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1963 | 1852 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate's |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Men | 36% | 32% |
| Women | 64% | 68% |
| White students | 50% | 48% |
| Black students | 4.4% | 40% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 39% | 6.3% |
| Asian students | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Two or more races | 2.1% | 3.7% |
| Other / not reported | 2.3% | 0.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 51% | 38% |
| Part-time students | 37% | 34% |
| Students age 25+ | 17% | 20% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $4,721/yr | $4,910/yr |
| Endowment | $20.5M | $4.8M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 365 | 782 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $5,700/yr | $6,892/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $3,536/yr | $3,200/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NAIA Division I | NJCAA Division I |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 7 | 4 |
| Student athletes | 89 | 91 |
| Athletic scholarships | $262,821 | $79,250 |
| Athletics budget | $1.5M | $366,720 |
| Athletics revenue | $1.5M | $442,596 |
| Recruiting spend | $532 | $4,000 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.