USG Facts
The Board of Regents
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia was created in 1931 as a part of a reorganization of Georgia’s state government. With this act, public higher education in Georgia was unified for the first time under a single governing and management authority. The governor appoints members of the Board to a seven year term and regents may be reappointed to subsequent terms by a sitting governor. Regents donate their time and expertise to serve the state through their governance of the University System of Georgia – the position is a voluntary one without financial remuneration. Today the Board of Regents is composed of 19 members, five of whom are appointed from the state-at-large, and one from each of the state’s 14 congressional districts. The Board elects a chancellor who serves as its chief executive officer and the chief administrative officer of the University System. The Board oversees the public colleges and universities that comprise the University System of Georgia and has oversight of the Georgia Archives and the Georgia Public Library Service.
The University System
The University System of Georgia (USG) is a part of the community in each of Georgia’s 159 counties and provides services across the state. The USG is composed of 26 higher education institutions including four research universities, four comprehensive universities, nine state universities and nine state colleges. It also includes the Georgia Public Library Service, which encompasses approximately 389 facilities within the 61 library systems throughout the State of Georgia. Additionally, the USG includes the Georgia Archives which identifies, collects, manages, preserves and provides access to records and information about Georgia.
Degrees, Majors and Rankings
The University System of Georgia’s institutions conferred a total of 76,571 degrees in fiscal year 2024. USG undergraduates earned 51,543 degrees, while institutions awarded 25,028 graduate and professional degrees.
The majority of baccalaureate-level degrees awarded within the University System of Georgia are in the fields of business, computer science, education and healthcare.
Georgia is one of only two states with two or more institutions in the U.S. News’ Top 20 Public National Universities.
Enrollment
The University System of Georgia enrolled 364,725 students for Fall 2024.
Economic Impact, Employment and Budget
The University System of Georgia powered $23.1 billion into the state’s economy in FY 2024, while recent graduates stand to earn $1.4 million more over their lifetimes thanks to their degrees, according to two studies released in August 2025 using the most recent data available.
The first study found that the total economic impact of $23.1 billion for fiscal year 2024, up from $21.9 billion in fiscal year 2023, includes $15.2 billion in initial spending by students and by USG’s 26 institutions on personnel and operating expenses. The remaining $7.9 billion is the multiplier impact of those funds in a local community. The second study showed that bachelor’s graduates from the Class of 2024 will earn, on average, over $1.4 million more than they would without a college degree.
| Research Universities | President | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta University | Dr. Russell T. Keen | 706-721-0211 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Dr. Ángel Cabrera | 404-894-2000 |
| Georgia State University | Dr. M. Brian Blake | 404-413-2000 |
| University of Georgia | Jere W. Morehead | 706-542-3000 |
| Comprehensive Universities | President | Phone |
| Georgia Southern University | Dr. Kyle Marrero | 912-478-4636 |
| Kennesaw State University | Dr. Kathy “Kat” Schwaig | 770-423-6000 |
| University of West Georgia | Dr. Michael Johnson | 678-839-5000 |
| Valdosta State University | Dr. Richard A. Carvajal | 229-333-5800 |
| State Universities | President | Phone |
| Albany State University | Dr. Robert Scott | 229-500-2000 |
| Clayton State University | Dr. Georj Lewis | 678-466-4000 |
| Columbus State University | Dr. Stuart Rayfield | 706-507-8800 |
| Fort Valley State University | Dr. Paul Jones | 478-827-3878 |
| Georgia College & State University | Cathy Cox | 478-445-5004 |
| Georgia Southwestern State University | Dr. Michelle R. Johnston | 877-871-4594 |
| Middle Georgia State University | Dr. Christopher Blake | 478-471-2700 |
| Savannah State University | Dr. Jermaine Whirl | 912-358-4778 |
| University of North Georgia | Dr. Michael P. Shannon | 706-864-1400 |
| State Colleges | President | Phone |
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Dr. Tracy Brundage | 229-391-5001 |
| Atlanta Metropolitan State College | Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers | 404-756-4000 |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Dr. Johnny L. Evans Jr. | 912-279-5700 |
| Dalton State College | Dr. John M. Fuchko III | 706-272-4438 |
| East Georgia State College | Dr. Kyle Marrero (Interim) | 478-289-2169 |
| Georgia Gwinnett College | Dr. Jann Joseph | 678-407-5000 |
| Georgia Highlands College | Dr. Mike Hobbs | 706-802-5000 |
| Gordon State College | Dr. Donald J. Green | 678-359-5555 |
| South Georgia State College | Dr. Gregory M. Tanner (Interim) | 912-260-4200 |