TCSG Enrollment Continues to Grow

February 3, 2010: Enrollment in the Technical College System of Georgia continues to grow at a record pace with 109,548 students currently attending winter quarter classes. Statewide, the enrollment jumped 26% over last year and more than 22,000 students are now on the campuses of the state's 28 technical colleges. At Columbus Technical College, enrollment has increased 13% from winter of 2009 to winter of 2010. Total enrollment at CTC today is approximately 3,937 compared to 3,485. These numbers are according to the TCSG's 7-day enrollment report.

It's the system's largest winter attendance ever and the second consecutive quarter with six-digit enrollment, following the all-time record of 110,940 students that was set last fall.

The slow economy continues to push the surge in enrollment as thousands of new students seek to improve their job outlook because they are either out of work or under-employed. The result is significantly higher enrollment numbers across every age group:

Over 40: increased by 43% to 18,726 students

36 - 40: increased by 40% to 9,808 students

31 - 35: increased by 30% to 11,639 students

26 - 30: increased by 30% to 16,137 students

21 - 25: increased by 23% to 26,202 students

The under 21 age group, traditionally made up of students who enter the technical colleges following graduation from high school, or because they either transferred from the university system or entered the workforce for a short time, also increased by 12% to 27,036 students.

"The Technical College System of Georgia is again proving its immense value to the people of Georgia as the education resource for anyone who wants to gain the kinds of skills and knowledge that result in great careers, even in today's difficult economy," said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson.

"Everyone, from recent high school graduates to Georgians looking to retrain and retool for new jobs, enjoy equal access to some of the best technical college programs in the country. It's a great education at a low tuition that's made all the more affordable by easy access to college grants."

Commissioner Jackson
TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson

Annual tuition for a full load of courses at a TCSG college averages about $2,400 plus fees. More than 80% of all TCSG students receive financial aid that significantly reduces that cost, mostly in HOPE and Pell grants that require no student debt after graduation.

Georgia's 28 technical colleges offer 600 programs that lead to in-demand jobs and careers. Almost 40% of all TCSG students are enrolled in healthcare programs, and thousands more are readying themselves for careers in areas ranging from aerospace, energy and the environment, and life sciences to more traditional trades like electronics, automotive technology and cosmetology.

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