Laurie Larson Campus Director & Dean of Academic Affairs and Operations | Linkedin
Laurie Larson Campus Director & Dean of Academic Affairs and Operations | Linkedin
Data shows that students paid $25,443 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $555 more than the previous school year.
Among the six institutions in the county, Savannah College of Art and Design stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $39,605. Empire Beauty School-Savannah followed with an average of $19,260 per year. Savannah Technical College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $3,114.
At the time, a total of $54.3 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Chatham County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $29.4 million.
Currently there are six higher education institutions in Chatham County, including Savannah State University, Savannah College of Art and Design, and South University-Savannah.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South University-Savannah Online | 576 | $3,232,722 | $5,612 | 542 | $4,191,939 | $7,734 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 3,281 | $43,450,673 | $13,243 | 1,468 | $22,129,452 | $15,075 |
| Savannah Technical College | 302 | $1,891,806 | $6,264 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Empire Beauty School-Savannah | 49 | $234,357 | $4,783 | 41 | $341,500 | $8,329 |
| Savannah State University | 539 | $5,310,571 | $9,853 | 431 | $2,679,457 | $6,217 |
| South University-Savannah | 19 | $133,900 | $7,047 | 15 | $91,878 | $6,125 |
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