By: Mike Cavaliere

G eorgia College & State University generated over $333 million in total economic impact on Middle Georgia last year — accounting for an 8.1%, or $25 million, increase over its reported impact in 2023.

The university also continues to serve as one of the region’s top employers. In 2024, it supported 3,102 jobs — 978 of which were on campus, in addition to 2,124 off-campus jobs that exist due to institutional spending — according to a recently released study conducted on behalf of the University System of Georgia by Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the University of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth.

“By contributing such significant employment opportunities and taxable dollars to the local economy, Georgia College & State University is fulfilling its mission of being a good community partner in Baldwin County and beyond,” said Georgia College President Cathy Cox. “The annual impact that GCSU has on the local economy serves as a point of pride, to be sure, but the long-term impacts of students earning high-caliber degrees from a public university are even greater.”

Georgia College graduates report a median annual income of over $55,000 one year after graduation, according to student success data collected by the University System of Georgia. A graduate who earns a bachelor’s degree from GCSU or any USG institution is reported to earn an average of $1.4 million more over the course of their lifetime compared to those without a college degree, the economic impact study showed. High school graduates who obtain a bachelor’s degree will boost their work-life earnings in Georgia by 82%, exceeding the 80% increase estimated for the nation.

Average lifetime earnings continue to rise commensurate with higher degree credentials, the study continued, as shown below:

“A degree from one of USG’s 26 public colleges and universities is a million-dollar deal for graduates and a billion-dollar boost for Georgia,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a recent statement. “Students see real returns through higher earnings and better opportunities. Meanwhile, our institutions power Georgia’s economy and help local communities thrive.”

Georgia College & State University’s 8.1% growth in economic impact outpaced that of the University System of Georgia, which grew its impact by 5.4% from 2023 to 2024.

This mark reflects a broader period of extraordinary growth for GCSU.

Since 2022, applications to attend Georgia College have grown more than 51%. Last year, the university was named a Top Public School in the South (a 12-state region) and its master’s programs earned top-five marks in the state. This fall, GCSU celebrates its largest-ever enrollment, at more than 7,200 students, and reported a 48% boom in students declaring multiple majors, a move that is shown to further insulate graduates from economic instability later in life.

Despite the recent growth, however, small classes remain a cornerstone of the Georgia College experience. In fact, three of every four classes at the university have fewer than 30 students, guaranteeing every Bobcat unparalleled access to the mentorship and hands-on learning experiences on which a GCSU education is built.

Looking ahead, Georgia College’s capital spending plans aim to improve the student experience as the university continues to grow. Major renovations to an academic building (Herty Hall); a newly constructed music rehearsal hall; significant upgrades to the baseball stadium; a new esports lab; improved intramural fields; expanded parking at Centennial Center; and site improvements at Andalusia, the National Historic Landmark preserving the former home of literary icon and GCSU alumna Flannery O’Connor, all will be unveiled this fall or are currently underway.

Header Image: Two Georgia College students walk through downtown Milledgeville, next to the GCSU campus. (Photo: Anna Gay Leavitt)