Chancellor Sonny Perdue tells Senate study committee Georgia tuition remains low but affordability gaps persist

Chancellor Sonny Perdue, head of the University System of Georgia, told members of a Senate study committee that tuition at Georgia public colleges remains comparatively low but that affordability challenges persist for many students.

Perdue opened his presentation by pointing committee members to a 30‑page slide deck and national data sources, saying the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System spreadsheets the committee received will “shed some important light.” He noted USG yearly tuition and fees average “approximately $6,500” and called attention to a Department of Audits finding that student‑level share of cost fell, saying institutional mandatory fees “were virtually all below the inflation” rate over recent years.

Why it matters: Perdue framed higher education affordability as both a tuition question and a living‑cost question. He emphasized that while tuition and mandatory fees have been held down in recent years, housing, food, mental‑health services and campus safety add to students’ total cost. The chancellor warned many students focus on immediate out‑of‑pocket costs—room and board and other living expenses—rather than long‑term career returns.

Key points from the presentation and committee discussion: - Comparative position: Perdue said public university tuition in Georgia ranks among the lowest nationally: “This is… sixth lowest in the state tuition fees across the country,” and third lowest within Southern Regional Education Board states after Florida and North Carolina. He said he did not have a full peer‑state comparison on hand but offered to provide it later. - Enrollment and state support: Perdue noted record enrollment increases and said USG expects another rise “around 4%,” roughly 15,000 students. He said state appropriations once covered about 75% of formula funding but are now closer to 57% of the formula share. - Student debt and migration effects: Perdue discussed a Federal Reserve study showing a $42,300 average debt for borrowers residing in Georgia and said much of that figure reflects in‑migration of higher‑debt borrowers rather than debt accrued by students educated in Georgia. - Living costs and student expectations: Perdue argued that many of the rising costs are related to housing and student expectations about amenities and safety. “Students are customers. They have choices,” he said, describing competitive campus amenities and expanded student services as cost drivers. - Philanthropy and targeted assistance: Perdue called out philanthropic efforts and systemwide initiatives that help students, noting a recent gala raised “over $4,000,000,” including $2,000,000 from Truist Bank, to deploy for needs‑based scholarships. He also thanked the legislature for eliminating a $230,000,000 special institutional fee in FY23 as a major affordability step.

Committee members pressed for more comparative data and for breakdowns of which student groups receive HOPE and Zell Miller awards. Perdue said those demographic and program‑level questions are being prepared by USG research staff and will be provided to the committee at a later meeting.

Looking ahead: Perdue told senators that many affordability levers sit outside the university system—particularly housing and local living costs—and asked the committee to look at needs‑based aid and FAFSA completion as ways to boost access without large tuition changes.

Provenance: Committee recognition of the chancellor and Perdue’s remarks appear in the committee transcript beginning when the chair recognized “Chancellor Sonny Perdue, the University System of Georgia” and conclude when the panel thanked Perdue and moved to the next presenter.