Georgia Highlands College

What Georgia Highlands College does

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) is a public state college within the University System of Georgia, governed by the Board of Regents and headquartered in Rome, Georgia. Founded in 1970 as Floyd Junior College, the institution transitioned to state college status in May 2011 and now operates five physical campuses—Floyd (Rome), Cartersville, Marietta, Paulding (Dallas), and Heritage Hall (Rome)—plus a comprehensive online division (GHC Online) serving students from over 30 counties in Northwest Georgia. GHC offers 39 associate degree pathways, 10 bachelor's degree programs, career-focused programs, dual enrollment courses for high school students funded through the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and continuing education. The institution maintains a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio and has been named a Top 10 Finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The college's technology stack consists of standard higher-education enterprise systems: Banner (Ellucian) for student information with the Charger Portal as the student self-service interface, D2L Brightspace for learning management, CASHNet for payment processing (with a 2.95% domestic card convenience fee), Navigate (EAB) for academic advising, Parchment and National Student Clearinghouse for transcript services, BankMobile for refund disbursements, and Microsoft Outlook for communications. GHC has formed notable academic partnerships: a dual-degree pathway with Georgia Institute of Technology in Building Information Modeling Management (one of only two such programs nationally), a Film & Digital Entertainment pathway via the Georgia Film Academy, and clinical education partnerships with Atrium Health Floyd at Heritage Hall for dental hygiene and nursing programs. Compliance scope includes FERPA, HIPAA (Heritage Hall dental clinic as a hybrid entity), GDPR, and SOC 2 Type 2 controls.

GHC's revenue model is a hybrid of state appropriations channeled through USG, tuition at approximately $105 per credit hour for in-state students (with higher rates for out-of-state and international students), institutional and lab fees, payment processing convenience fees, and philanthropic contributions. Customer segments span traditional freshmen, transfer students, adult learners, dual enrollment high school students (state-funded), international students, and transient students. The value proposition centers on affordability relative to most U.S. colleges, geographic accessibility across Northwest Georgia, flexible scheduling through GHC@Night evening courses and 16+ fully online degree programs, and direct career pathways in healthcare (nursing, dental hygiene), construction technology (BIMM), digital media, and supply chain management.

Name

Georgia Highlands College

Legal name

Georgia Highlands College

Website

https://highlands.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Georgia Highlands College is a public state college within the University System of Georgia operating five Northwest Georgia campuses plus GHC Online, delivering 39 associate and 10 bachelor's degree pathways to traditional, transfer, adult, dual enrollment, and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Community College

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural/Regional Community Colleges (EDAHADAK), Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Bachelor's degree programs
• Online learning
• Dual enrollment courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: GHC generates revenue primarily through tuition charged per credit hour. In-state tuition is approximately $105-110 per credit hour. Additional fees include application fees ($30 non-refundable), lab fees for science courses, and various institutional fees authorized by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
2. Payment Processing Services: The college uses CASHNet payment service for credit/debit card payments, charging a 2.95% convenience fee (minimum $3.00) for domestic cards and 4.25% for international cards. ACH/electronic check payments are fee-free.
3. Dual Enrollment Funding: Course tuition for approved dual enrollment courses is paid by the Georgia Student Finance Commission Dual Enrollment Scholarship. Students are responsible for institutional course-related fees such as science lab fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Georgia Highlands College is a public state college offering associate and bachelor's degree programs across 39 associate pathways and 10 bachelor's degree programs in disciplines including nursing, dental hygiene, business, criminal justice, digital media, and engineering. The college delivers instruction through five physical campuses in Northwest Georgia and fully online programs, serving traditional freshmen, transfer students, adult learners, dual enrollment high school students, international students, and transient students.

Product overview

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) is a two-year state college within the University System of Georgia offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The institution provides over 40 academic programs across five physical campus locations (Floyd, Cartersville, Marietta, Paulding, and Heritage Hall) plus GHC Online. The core educational offerings include 39 associate degree pathways and 10 bachelor's degree programs. GHC Online delivers fully online degree options in Criminal Justice, Dental Hygiene, Health Sciences, Nursing, Healthcare Management, and Logistics & Supply Chain Management. Career-specific programs in Dental Hygiene (RDH), Nursing, and Human Services provide direct professional preparation. The Film & Digital Entertainment pathway, delivered in partnership with Georgia Film Academy, offers industry certifications. The college also provides continuing education courses and uses the Charger Portal (Banner-based) for student services, D2L for course management, and Navigate (EAB) for academic advising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GHC Online Fully online degree programs and distance education courses providing students with flexible 24-hour access to course materials, 24-hour help via GHC411, email advising, web-meeting capabilities, and full-time technical support. Designed for students needing remote or asynchronous learning.
• Associate Degree Programs Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree pathways across 39 program areas including Biology, Business Administration, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Engineering, and Nursing, designed for students seeking two-year credentials or transfer preparation to four-year institutions.
• Bachelor's Degree Programs Ten bachelor's degree programs including Building Information Modeling Management, Criminal Justice, Dental Hygiene (RDH to BSDH), Digital Media and Communication, Environmental and Natural Resources, Health Science, Healthcare Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Nursing (RN to BSN), and Organizational Leadership, designed for students seeking four-year credentials.
• Career Programs Career-focused programs in Dental Hygiene (RDH), Human Services, and Nursing (ASN) that prepare students for direct entry into specific professions through hands-on, credential-aligned training.
• Continuing Education Continuing education courses and programs for professional development, workforce training, and lifelong learning, serving working professionals and adult learners seeking to upskill or reskill outside of a traditional degree path.
• Film & Digital Entertainment Pathway Film and digital entertainment program offered through partnership with the Georgia Film Academy, providing training in Digital Entertainment, Film & TV Production, Film & TV Post Production, and Film Studies concentrations with industry-recognized certifications and internship opportunities on major film production sets.
• Charger Portal Student self-service portal providing access to registration, financial aid, grades, schedule, and billing information, powered by the Banner student information system for currently enrolled students.
• Building Information Modeling Management (BIMM)

Quantifiable outcome

• Aspen Prize Top 10 Finalist recognition demonstrates national-level excellence among community colleges
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Georgia Institute of TechnologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024GHC has a dual degree partnership with Georgia Tech allowing students to earn dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Building Information Modeling Management (BIMM) from GHC and Construction Science and Management from Georgia Tech in as little as four to five years. This partnership enables students to access GHC's specialized BIMM program while completing their bachelor's at Georgia Tech.
• Georgia Film AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGHC is a member of the Georgia Film Consortium (GFC), a state-wide collaboration of University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, and independent institutions. The partnership enables Film & Digital Entertainment pathway students to take courses through the Georgia Film Academy, gaining exposure, training, and placement within the fast-growing film and entertainment industry. Students can earn industry certifications and apply for internships on major film production sets.
• Atrium Health FloydcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Atrium Health Floyd School of Health Sciences at Heritage Hall provides healthcare education programs including dental hygiene and nursing. This partnership provides clinical education opportunities and prepares students for healthcare careers to address regional workforce needs.
• University System of GeorgiacoreOthersGHC operates under the governance of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. This provides institutional accreditation, regulatory oversight, transfer pathways to all USG institutions, and access to shared resources and systems including Banner student information system and D2L learning management platform.
• Kennesaw State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Marietta location was originally opened in 2005 on the campus of Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University) and continues to serve the Cobb County area with GHC educational programs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Kennesaw State University: Kennesaw State University is the regional USG partner institution where GHC's Marietta site originated; it offers a broader array of bachelor's and graduate programs and competes for transfer students in the Cobb County/Northwest Georgia market.

Direct peers

• Atlanta Metropolitan State College: Atlanta Metropolitan State College is a USG state college offering associate and bachelor's programs to an urban Georgia audience — directly comparable in institution type and mission within the same University System.
• East Georgia State College: East Georgia State College is a USG state college with multi-campus associate and bachelor's degree programs — a direct peer in scale and mission within the same University System of Georgia.
• University of North Georgia: University of North Georgia is a USG institution serving a similar multi-campus, multi-county region in North Georgia with associate, bachelor's, and graduate programs — direct peer in regional public higher education.
• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College: ABAC is a USG state college offering associate and bachelor's degree programs with a regional service model — directly comparable to GHC's institutional profile within the University System of Georgia.
• Dalton State College: Dalton State College is another University System of Georgia state college located in Dalton, Georgia, serving Northwest Georgia with associate and bachelor's degree programs in a similar regional market to GHC.
• Georgia Gwinnett College: Georgia Gwinnett College is a USG state college offering associate and bachelor's degree programs to a multi-campus regional Georgia audience — directly comparable peer in scale and institutional mission within the University System.
• South Georgia State College: South Georgia State College is a USG state college with multiple campuses offering associate and bachelor's programs — directly comparable peer within the same state college system serving a different regional market.
• Gordon State College: Gordon State College is a USG state college offering associate and bachelor's degree programs to a regional Georgia audience — directly comparable in scale, mission, and target student population.

Emerging players

• Georgia Northwestern Technical College: Georgia Northwestern Technical College serves the same Northwest Georgia region with technical certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees — a complementary public postsecondary peer for workforce-oriented students in the same service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GaHighlands
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GHConlineTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/GeorgiaHighlandsCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georgia-highlands-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/gahighlands

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Georgia Highlands College