Dalton State College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Dalton, Georgia. It enrolls 4,553 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
75/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes39
Value89
Affordability76
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Dalton State College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Dalton State College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $5,012 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,012
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
50%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
14%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$3,336
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,656
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,419
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,255
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,270
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,377
Total Cost of Attendance
$12,719
Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$3,962
$30,001 – $48,000
$3,788
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,042
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,114
Over $110,000
$10,055
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,27625%percentile
$12,937Medianpercentile
$17,64075%percentile
$31,69690%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,050
↓ $4,887
No Pell $6,000
↓ $6,937
Dependent students $6,281
↓ $6,656
Independent students $11,339
↓ $1,598
Female students $7,830
↓ $5,107
Male students $6,501
↓ $6,436
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,139, less than completers ($12,937), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of full-time students who enrolled at Dalton State College graduate within six years, and 66% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
66%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Dalton State College earn a median of $40,251 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,251
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$31,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$41,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$43,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,100, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
17.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Dalton State College is home to 4,553 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 51% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
4,553
Part-Time
37%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 49.5%2,255
Hispanic 38.7%1,763
Black 4.4%201
Other 2.6%116
Asian 1.6%73
International 1.3%60
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Dalton State College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityDalton, Georgia
Housing
Limited on-campus housing365 beds
Adult Learners
17%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Dalton State College offers
a varied set of programs:
31 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dalton State College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,748
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$20M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$75,030
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
139 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
53
38%
$83,999
Associate Professors
37
27%
$72,536
Assistant Professors
38
27%
$68,318
Instructors
1
1%
—
Lecturers
10
7%
$62,222
Pros & Cons of Dalton State College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Dalton State College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Dalton State College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dalton State College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Dalton State College.
How much does Dalton State College cost?
The average net price after aid at Dalton State College is $5,012 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dalton State College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,251 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,012 per year. That's roughly 8.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dalton State College known for?
Dalton State College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Dalton State College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Dalton State College are $40,251, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Dalton State College accredited?
Yes. Dalton State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Dalton State College?
Dalton State College enrolls 4,553 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Dalton State College?
Dalton State College graduates 29% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Dalton State College a public or private college?
Dalton State College is a Public institution.
Where is Dalton State College located?
Dalton State College is located in Dalton, Georgia.
What programs does Dalton State College offer?
Dalton State College offers 31 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dalton State College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dalton State College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Georgia
Other colleges in Georgia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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Related Guides
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Rankings That Feature Dalton State College
Dalton State College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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$1,300 Lowest Net
$20,958 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$75,971 Top Earn
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$1,300 Lowest Net
$20,935 Avg Net
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$2,984 Lowest Net
$21,508 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$75,971 Top Earn
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$1,300 Lowest Net
$20,603 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$75,971 Top Earn
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$1,300 Lowest Net
$19,197 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$71,588 Top Earn
Most Affordable Education Colleges
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$1,300 Lowest Net
$19,875 Avg Net
93 UCD Score
$75,971 Top Earn
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