Is Gordon State or South Georgia State cheaper?

On published price, South Georgia State is cheaper — about $18,869 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $19,523 at Gordon State. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.

Which school graduates more of its students, Gordon State or South Georgia State?

South Georgia State, at 20% against 17% at Gordon State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.

How do I contact the coaches at Gordon State and South Georgia State?

South Georgia State runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Gordon State, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Gordon State vs South Georgia State: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs in the GCAA. South Georgia State runs $654 less per year out of state; South Georgia State graduates 3 points more of its students.

JUCO

Gordon State

GCAA

Barnesville, GA

JUCO

South Georgia State

GCAA

Douglas, GA

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Gordon State if…

You are weighing the degree as an investment: Gordon State graduates earn about $2,174 more per year a decade after enrolling.

Lean South Georgia State if…

You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: South Georgia State lists $654 less per year in tuition and housing than Gordon State.
You would be in-state: South Georgia State is $505 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Gordon State.
Finishing the degree is the priority: South Georgia State graduates 3 percentage points more of its students than Gordon State.
You want to leave with less owed: median debt at South Georgia State is $6,000 lower than at Gordon State.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Gordon State compared with South Georgia State
Measure	Gordon State	South Georgia State
In-state tuition & fees	$3,475	$2,970 — South Georgia State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees	$10,381	$9,322 — South Georgia State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board	$9,142 — Gordon State leads on this measure: lower room & board	$9,547
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$12,617	$12,517
Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$19,523	$18,869 — South Georgia State leads on this measure: lower total out-of-state cost

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Gordon State compared with South Georgia State
Measure	Gordon State	South Georgia State
Graduation rate	17%	20% — South Georgia State leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry	$37,871/yr — Gordon State leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out	$35,697/yr
Median debt at graduation	$17,500	$11,500 — South Georgia State leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.	46%	32% — South Georgia State leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Gordon State compared with South Georgia State
Measure	Gordon State	South Georgia State
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.	86%	—
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.	3,129	1,853
Where it is	Barnesville, GA	Douglas, GA

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Gordon State compared with South Georgia State
Measure	Gordon State	South Georgia State
Head coach	Ally Hattermann	Jeff Ellis

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Gordon State compared with South Georgia State
Measure	Gordon State	South Georgia State
Recruiting questionnaire	—	Yes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Gordon State

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

South Georgia State

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Gordon State vs South Georgia State: common questions

Is Gordon State or South Georgia State cheaper?: On published price, South Georgia State is cheaper — about $18,869 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $19,523 at Gordon State. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, Gordon State or South Georgia State?: South Georgia State, at 20% against 17% at Gordon State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Gordon State and South Georgia State offer softball scholarships?: Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Gordon State and South Georgia State?: South Georgia State runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Gordon State, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Gordon State and South Georgia State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

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