Valdosta State University Rankings & Recognition

Valdosta State University appears in 13 of CollegesRef's value rankings by major. Its best placement is #71 of 459 for kinesiology and exercise science, and #3 of 13 ranked colleges in Georgia.

Valdosta State University rankings by major

Source: CollegesRef value rankings from U.S. College Scorecard data, 2025

Each ranking compares bachelor's programs in one field. A college's value score is the weighted average of four percentiles among the ranked colleges: graduate earnings, average net price, debt compared with earnings, and graduation rate. Percentiles here are 100 for the best figure in the field. How the rankings work

Kinesiology and exercise science

Ranked #71 of 459 for value

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · 23 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $58,630; Ranked-college median: $53,707
Median debt: $18,500; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 70.9 of 100 · #3 of 13 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 76th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 89th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 78th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 18th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $18,314) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 32% of earnings

Ranked just above: Salisbury University (#70)
Ranked just below: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (#72)

Best colleges for kinesiology and exercise science

Finance

Ranked #255 of 330 for value

Finance and Financial Management Services · 35 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $68,453; Ranked-college median: $77,916
Median debt: $21,000; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 35.2 of 100 · #7 of 9 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 19th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 90th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 17th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 12th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $17,502) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 31% of earnings

Ranked just above: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (#254)
Ranked just below: Arkansas State University (#256)

Best colleges for finance

Marketing

Ranked #278 of 354 for value

Marketing · 43 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $59,865; Ranked-college median: $67,486
Median debt: $22,563; Ranked-college median: $19,523

Value score 35.4 of 100 · #10 of 10 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 21th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 91th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 13th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 12th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $17,699) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 38% of earnings

Ranked just above: Benedictine College-Kansas (#277)
Ranked just below: Wichita State University (#279)

Best colleges for marketing

Education

Ranked #282 of 521 for value

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · 116 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $46,155; Ranked-college median: $48,822
Median debt: $21,500; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 47.2 of 100 · #14 of 22 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 34th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 86th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 45th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 21th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $17,201) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 47% of earnings

Ranked just above: Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (#281)
Ranked just below: University of Louisiana at Monroe (#283)

Best colleges for education

Communications

Ranked #316 of 388 for value

Communication and Media Studies · 67 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $47,880; Ranked-college median: $56,130
Median debt: $23,000; Ranked-college median: $19,593

Value score 32.7 of 100 · #4 of 8 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 17th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 87th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 12th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 13th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $17,285) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 48% of earnings

Ranked just above: St. Francis College (#315)
Ranked just below: SUNY at Purchase College (#317)

Best colleges for communications

Criminal justice

Ranked #322 of 379 for value

Criminal Justice and Corrections · 65 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $46,593; Ranked-college median: $55,481
Median debt: $26,000; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 29.9 of 100 · #10 of 14 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 9th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 83th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 6th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 29th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $16,222) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 56% of earnings

Ranked just above: Prairie View A & M University (#321)
Ranked just below: Auburn University at Montgomery (#323)

Best colleges for criminal justice

Political science

Ranked #359 of 388 for value

Political Science and Government · 23 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $47,035; Ranked-college median: $63,181
Median debt: $20,375; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 25.3 of 100 · #12 of 12 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 2th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 89th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 7th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 5th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $18,238) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 43% of earnings

Ranked just above: Cleveland State University (#358)
Ranked just below: Liberty University (#360)

Best colleges for political science

Accounting

Ranked #363 of 408 for value

Accounting and Related Services · 44 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $60,751; Ranked-college median: $76,108
Median debt: $25,500; Ranked-college median: $20,500

Value score 27.9 of 100 · #12 of 12 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 8th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 88th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 2th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 15th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $17,285) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 42% of earnings

Ranked just above: Indiana University of Pennsylvania (#362)
Ranked just below: University of Houston-Victoria (#364)

Best colleges for accounting

Computer science

Ranked #393 of 466 for value

Computer and Information Sciences, General · 36 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $75,310; Ranked-college median: $97,375
Median debt: $21,406; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 30.1 of 100 · #9 of 12 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 11th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 85th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 13th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 14th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $16,804) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 28% of earnings

Ranked just above: Manhattan College (#392)
Ranked just below: DePaul University-Illinois (#394)

Best colleges for computer science

Nursing

Ranked #513 of 686 for value

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · 78 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $77,890; Ranked-college median: $85,171
Median debt: $22,000; Ranked-college median: $20,938

Value score 37.6 of 100 · #24 of 28 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 18th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 85th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 30th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 23th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $18,014) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 28% of earnings

Ranked just above: Saint Louis University (#512)
Ranked just below: University of Memphis (#514)

Best colleges for nursing

Biology

Ranked #519 of 680 for value

Biology, General · 63 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $51,991; Ranked-college median: $58,001
Median debt: $26,000; Ranked-college median: $20,717

Value score 35.6 of 100 · #12 of 23 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 25th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 87th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 8th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 16th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $18,049) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 50% of earnings

Ranked just above: Boise State University (#518)
Ranked just below: Western Colorado University (#520)

Best colleges for biology

Psychology

Ranked #528 of 814 for value

Psychology, General · 112 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $47,285; Ranked-college median: $51,007
Median debt: $22,888; Ranked-college median: $21,000

Value score 42.3 of 100 · #13 of 25 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 30th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 88th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 27th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 19th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $18,874) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 48% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of Cincinnati (#527)
Ranked just below: Fayetteville State University (#529)

Best colleges for psychology

Business

Ranked #756 of 986 for value

Business Administration, Management and Operations · 192 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $56,047; Ranked-college median: $64,860
Median debt: $23,869; Ranked-college median: $21,375

Value score 35.5 of 100 · #26 of 38 in Georgia

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 18th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 87th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 13th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 26th percentile

Average net price $10,804 (median $19,132) · graduation rate 44.6% · debt is 43% of earnings