Is the University of Georgia or Auburn worth the cost?

Compare the four-year net price, not the published sticker price: tuition, housing, meal plan, travel, expected annual increases, and whether scholarships are renewable. Then calculate the actual difference in borrowing. A modest gap may be reasonable for a program, internship pipeline, or campus environment where you know you will thrive; a large gap financed mostly with loans is harder to justify when the academic opportunity is comparable.

For career value, look beyond overall reputation. Check each department’s required courses, undergraduate research, career fairs, co-op or internship access, and outcomes for the exact field you may enter.

Choose the lower-cost option unless the more expensive school has a concrete, major-specific advantage you are likely to use and the added cost can be covered without burdensome debt.