Georgia College ranked among Top Five in South by U.S. News & World Report

By Amanda Respess

G eorgia College & State University earned three Top 10 regional rankings - including being named No. 5 among all public colleges and universities in the South - in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Colleges list, released today.

GCSU is now among the five best public institutions in the 12-state Regional South category of U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings, after holding the No. 6 position in the region for the past several years. It scored two additional Top 10 honors, as well, including being named No. 9 Most Innovative and maintaining No. 5 for Best Undergraduate Teaching, among all public and private institutions.

Among all public and private universities in the South, Georgia College's undergraduate programs ranked No. 12 overall (of 133 institutions ranked), again improving upon last year's ranking of No. 15 in the group. The university was the only public institution of its kind in Georgia to make the Top 20 in this category.

"These rankings - including breaking into the Top Five in the South for the first time in university history - reflect a period of sustained and remarkable growth for Georgia College & State University," said GCSU President Cathy Cox. "Since 2022, applications to attend GCSU have grown more than 51%, which is a testament to the growing interest in the vibrant campus life and transformative experiences that make Georgia College feel truly different."

The university also scored high marks for affordability, ranking as the No. 2 Best Value School in the state among public regional institutions, which serves as a credit to the university's emphasis on small class sizes. In fact, three of every four classes on GCSU's Milledgeville-based campus have fewer than 30 students, offering every Bobcat student ample opportunity to explore, collaborate and learn by doing - an approach that yields results. Students in the university's unique Pre-Med Mentoring Program, for instance, have generated a 100% placement rate into medical school for each of the past 15 years. And scholar-athletes at Georgia College have scored No. 1 in the nation for academic success rate among public NCAA DII schools every year since 2000.

Georgia College graduate programs were recognized this year, as well, ranking among the Top Five in Georgia. Additionally, the university earned national honors from Colleges of Distinction, The Princeton Review and several other ranking organizations.

"Interest in Georgia College is at an all-time high," Cox added. "Our liberal arts mission ensures that every student is guaranteed early access to experiential learning opportunities they would have to wait years for at much larger institutions. This experience is invaluable, giving them a significant head start over their peers."

GCSU enrolled an all-time high 7,300 students this academic year and remains a major economic development engine for Middle Georgia, with a reported $333 million economic impact on the region.

Additional Rankings

A breakdown of Georgia College & State University's other 2026 rankings are listed as follows:

U.S. News & World Report designates Georgia College & State University as a Regional University, one of 133 such institutions in a wide region from Arkansas on the west to Virginia on the east coast. "Regional Universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's programs but few doctoral programs," according to the U.S. News Best Colleges website. The ranking methodology is based on detailed student-success metrics, including graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.