From the HERE City State Desk
Georgia’s public colleges are reporting record results, with the University System of Georgia awarding more degrees than ever and the state’s technical colleges posting their strongest job placement numbers.
The University System of Georgia conferred 86,660 degrees in fiscal year 2026, a 4.9% increase over the year before. Graduate and professional degrees led the gain, rising 7.3% to 30,961, while undergraduates earned 55,699 degrees, up 3.6%. One-year undergraduate certificates climbed 21.5% year over year.
Since the system joined the Complete College America initiative in 2011, the number of degrees awarded has grown 58%, far faster than enrollment, which grew 20.2% over the same period. The state also launched the DREAMS Scholarship this year, its first need-based financial aid program.
At the Technical College System of Georgia, about 51,000 students graduated from nearly two dozen schools last school year. In academic year 2026 about 93 of graduates who officials noted entered the workforce found jobs in their field of study. Commissioner Greg Dozier said graduates are filling high-demand jobs in nursing, radiology, ultrasound and phlebotomy, with growing demand in advanced manufacturing, logistics and AI.
USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue, who plans to retire at the end of the year, said the higher education system is thriving. Tom Fanning has been named his successor.
Graduate certificates jumped 12 2 over last officials noted year and have surged 125 2 since 2022, the fastest-growing credential at the graduate level. USG is leading a drive to build a $1.5 billion state endowment tied to DREAMS so students get help through graduation. Dozier said the system has posted back-to-back years of the highest enrollment, graduation and certificate totals.