UGA: the complete school report for parents
UGA puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 34.3% admit rate and 87% of enrolled students at a 4.0 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and a strong test score is close to expected. Transfer applicants are admitted at 64.9% against 34.3% for first-years, so the transfer route is materially wider.
UGA is officially University of Georgia, also known as U Of Georgia or Uga Athens. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is UGA a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places UGA against the figures above. No account needed.
What does UGA actually weigh in admissions?
UGA rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 7 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UGA's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How UGA rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Not Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Not Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does UGA consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does UGA consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does UGA consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does UGA consider the application essay?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider class rank?
No. UGA does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.
Does UGA consider demonstrated interest?
No. UGA does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does UGA consider an interview?
No. UGA does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does UGA consider legacy status?
No. UGA does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does UGA consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does UGA consider where we live?
No. UGA does not consider it.
Does UGA consider state residency?
No. UGA does not consider it.
Does UGA consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does UGA consider religious affiliation?
No. UGA does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
87% of enrolled students had a 4.0 GPA or above. The average was 4.17 on a 4.0 scale, reported for 100% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 87.06% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 11.32% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 0.82% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 0.29% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 0.16% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.23% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.1% |
What is the UGA waitlist really like?
UGA offered a place on its waiting list to 4,442 applicants and 437 accepted one. were ultimately admitted. That is 0.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
UGA admitted 64.9% of 3,780 transfer applicants, against 34.3% of first-year applicants. For a student who does not get in at eighteen, the transfer route is a genuinely wider door and worth planning for deliberately.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
UGA reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 1 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | October 15 |
| Application fee | $70 |
| Fee waiver available | Not reported |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
UGA requires 17 academic units and recommends 19. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 4 years | 4 years |
| Science | 4 years | 4 years |
| of which lab science | 2 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 3 years |
What will UGA actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $13,936 a year at UGA after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $10,034. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 77.9% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 419 merit awards averaging $2,191 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $8,085 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $8,686 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $13,096 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $16,942 |
| Over $110,000 | $18,079 |
30% of UGA graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $21,660 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $196 a month in repayment. UGA’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from UGA pay off?
Graduates earn a median $68,726 ten years after entering, and $57,565 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 68% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $32,340 | 1.3 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $34,744 | 1.4 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $52,384 | 2.1 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $67,768 | 2.7 |
| Over $110,000 | $72,316 | 2.9 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$111,592 to $36,514, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UGA:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Management Information Systems and Services | $111,592 | 358 |
| International Business | $110,872 | 102 |
| Computer Science | $100,784 | 292 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $95,338 | 544 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $91,429 | 208 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $90,785 | 182 |
| Insurance | $89,304 | 253 |
| Marketing | $82,677 | 375 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $75,756 | 227 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $49,018 | 169 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $43,583 | 41 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $36,514 | 17 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
94% of first-years return for a second year. 89% within six (Fall 2019 cohort).
How big are the classes?
44% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 6% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1, and 90% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
What is life at UGA like?
32,824 undergraduates, 20% of first-years from out of state. 98% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 66% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 37% of men join a fraternity and 25% of women a sorority. 18% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $71,225.
UGA requires all first-year students to live on campus. University Housing advises incoming students to register for housing as soon as possible, since registration order sets their place in line to choose an on-campus space.
Source: University Housing, University of Georgia
The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) supports faculty-mentored research for all undergraduates, including first-year students, with course credit available in any department regardless of year, GPA or major, plus research awards, summer fellowships and an annual symposium. For the Class of 2025, UGA reports a 93% career outcomes rate (employed or continuing their education), based on 8,652 graduates with known outcomes.
Source: Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, UGA; Career Outcomes, UGA Career Center
How is UGA ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?
The UGA Alumni Association describes its network as more than 381,000 strong, with local alumni chapters around the world. It also runs alumni councils, including Women of UGA, UGA Black Alumni, UGA Young Alumni and UGA Latino Alumni.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. UGA recommends 19 academic units.
- 87% of enrolled students are at a 4.0 GPA or above, averaging 4.17. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- If the first-year answer is no, the transfer route is genuinely wider here and worth planning for from the first semester of college.
- Its highest-earning major returns $111,592 five years out against $36,514 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about UGA
What GPA do you need for UGA?
87% of enrolled students at UGA had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.17, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do UGA graduates earn?
UGA graduates earn a median $68,726 ten years after entering, and 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with UGA
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: UGA’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.