Part of this profile was updated with AI and edited by Poets&Quants.
At more than 100 years old, the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business has a deep history steeped in innovation and high-quality undergraduate business education. Founded as the UGA School of Commerce in 1912, Terry is the oldest business school in the South.
The Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia finished No. 36 on P&Q’s 2026 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 32 in Admission Standards, No. 59 in Career Outcomes, and No. 46 in Academic Experience. The B-school’s acceptance rate is 37% while its average SAT score is 1,262. It has a six-year graduation rate of 96.8%.
In career data, 81% of the Class of 2025 completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Some 92.5% found jobs within three months of graduation. Average salary for the most recent graduates was $71,927, with 51.0% of graduates reporting an average signing bonus of $6,900.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROJECT
After being accepted to the University of Georgia, students pursuing a BBA or AB Economics degree enter Terry as intended-business majors and typically apply to a Terry major during their second year at UGA. There is no direct admission to a Terry major for a student’s first semester at UGA, and current applicants are evaluated on GPA, prerequisite coursework, and testing requirements.
With eight majors, one co-major, and a business minor available, Terry gives undergraduates multiple paths through the curriculum. In the most recent academic year, the college reported 179 service-learning projects involving more than 1,000 students serving 107 entities, and 38.9% of the Class of 2025 participated in a consulting project with an external organization.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & INNOVATIONS
The Double Dawgs program allows students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years or less, and Terry’s alumni ecosystem remains a major asset. Through TerryConnect and other engagement programs, students can tap into a network of more than 75,000 alumni living in 80 countries.
Much of Terry’s recent innovation push is centered on analytics and AI. The college’s strategic initiatives highlight the M. Douglas & V. Kay Ivester Institute for Business Analytics and Insights and the Undergraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Business, which gives students foundational AI knowledge, practical application, and training in ethical considerations. The certificate’s curriculum includes programming, AI foundations, ethics, and business electives such as machine learning, generative AI, business innovation, and data science.
Terry is also investing in student leadership and community through the Terry Edge Network (TEN), which supports intended-business and Terry students across all majors and degree types through five pillars: Confidence & Leadership, Alumni Network, Student Community, Service, and Health & Wellness.
For students with an entrepreneurial bent, Terry houses the UGA Entrepreneurship Program and The Launch Pad, an entrepreneurial living-learning community for up to 40 incoming first-year students. Terry also continues to offer a broad study away portfolio, with faculty-led programs and internships in destinations including France, Costa Rica, Southeast Asia, Uruguay, Canada, Chile & Argentina, Germany, India, South Korea, Europe, and Italy.
ALUMNI SAY
“I was a member of Terry’s Institute for Leadership Advancement. This two-year leadership program was instrumental in developing strong relationships, preparing me for my career, and connecting me with my first job out of college. I also participated in the “Deer Run Fellows” program, an immersive leadership program sponsored by a former Coca-Cola executive (Doug Ivester). This experience was very unique and special, as it taught several real-world lessons about leadership and choices.”
“Taught me how to research, write, and study topics I was interested in. I learned what industry I did or didn’t want to go into after graduation. It led me to go get a masters degree directly after graduating and helped my application.”
“Terry was a fantastic institution. I got a great job at a multi-billion dollar tech company right after graduation. I was much more prepared than my colleagues because of Terry. Terry set me up for success with amazing professors, classes, rigorous tests/projects, and valuable lessons.”
“Terry was a good platform for learning the soft skills that would help elevate me in my career. Excel is maybe the most important thing you can learn, as it is instrumental in your success in a business setting. As far as industry knowledge, I felt as though my major was somewhat pigeonholed into personal lines insurance, and did not really expand into the world of commercial insurance or risk compliance. I had to learn a lot of that on the job.”
