In its annual ranking of universities and colleges, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of North Georgia 21st among public regional universities in the South. UNG also was ranked No. 1 in the South for the least amount of student debt among regional public universities on U.S. News' Student Debt Load at Graduation list, reinforcing the university's reputation for excellent academics and affordability. 

"Recognition for UNG and our consistent high-level ranking on this list reflects the quality of our educational experience, as well as the value of a degree from this institution," said President Bonita C. Jacobs. "We are extremely proud of our recent national rankings and remain committed to offering a high-quality, affordable education that prepares our graduates to be civic, professional and military leaders."

Among all universities on the Best Regional Universities-South list, UNG ranked 61st, up from 72nd the previous year. The ranking is based on data related to academic quality, including freshman retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rates, and alumni giving.

The data for the Student Debt Load at Graduation list includes loans taken out by students from their colleges, from private financial institutions and the government.  The rankings are based primarily on data from 2016 and, for some factors, include averages of the previous two to four years of data.

The Best Regional Universities list focuses on institutions that offer a full range of undergraduate and master's-level programs, but few doctoral programs. There are 659 regional universities ranked: 259 of them are public universities, 388 are private and 12 are for-profit. The list is further broken down into four geographic categories, and the South region includes Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In August, Forbes magazine named UNG as one of the nation's top higher education institutions in their annual "America's Top Colleges" ranking – marking UNG's second appearance on the list and ranking it third among the only five University System of Georgia institutions on the list.

This fall, UNG is serving more than 19,000 students across its five campuses – in Blue Ridge, Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville, and Oconee County – and online. UNG offers a broad range of degree programs and admission pathways with more than 100 programs of study and opportunities ranging from certificates and associate degrees to a variety of graduate programs.