Savannah Chamber

41 27 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2026 Economic Trends Infrastructure: Education The seven-county CSA* employed approximately 18,739 faculty, administrators, and staff in public and private educational services in 2025. Of the metro area's population above age 25, approximately 90.5% are high school graduates or have higher education. Approximately 32.8% of the population above the age of 25 has a bachelor's degree or higher level of educational attainment. (*See Demographics page for CSA definition.) Pre-K-12 Public Education The District's enrollment is 35,000 students. There are 58 schools across the public-school system including 21 elementary schools, 9 K-8 schools, 8 middle schools, 11 high schools, and a virtual academy for students in grades 1–11. The district also supports 5 charter schools and 8 alternative educational centers. The School District continues to improve educational offerings through facility improvements under the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax. ESPLOST V was approved in March 2025. SCCPSS has steadily improved the graduation rate to meet or exceed the state average for the past 10 years. The current graduation rate stands at 87.1% (SY 24=25). For more information, please visit sccpss.com Higher Education: Colleges, Universities and Technical Schools Over 78,000 students are enrolled in the 16 institutions of higher learning in and around the Savannah area. While several of these schools have a long term record of producing work-ready graduates who contribute to the region, others are recent newcomers attracted to the demands for advanced learning created by Savannah's vibrant and growing economy. Georgia Southern University (GSU): Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 149 different degree programs serving more than 29,633 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia with expert faculty, the University is focused on public impact research and engaging learning opportunities through knowledge and know-how that prepare our students to take ownership of their lives, careers and communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu. Savannah State University: Established in 1890, Savannah State University (SSU) – a four-year institution – is one of the University System of Georgia's longest-standing institutions. It is also the oldest public historically black college or university (HBCU) in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the historic city of Savannah. SSU has a diverse student body of approximately 3,100. It offers 30 undergraduate degree majors and five graduate degree programs in four colleges – Business Administration, Sciences and Technology, and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Education. The institution also offers distinctive programs such as Forensic Science, International Business, Marine Sciences, and Homeland Security and Emergency Management. SSU hosts one of only 15 Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) units at an HBCU. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the university and its research programs regularly attract major grants from federal agencies and private institutions. www.savannahstate.edu Coastal Georgia Center: Operated by Savannah State University, the Coastal Georgia Center offers a convenient location in historic downtown Savannah with a professional environment for students enrolled in graduate-level courses in business, public administration and social work. The center is an outreach component of the University System of Georgia, promoting economic development and provides space for meetings, seminars and regional conferences. https://savannahstate.edu/campus/coastal-georgia-center/ Georgia Tech Savannah: The Savannah campus of Georgia Tech provides professional education to the Southeastern part of Georgia working in partnership with industry and K-12 outreach. It also is the home to many components of Georgia Tech which include the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC), the Enterprise Innovation Institute, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), the APEX Accelerators, and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). The Savannah Campus has an applied research component to its mission working with industry to help solve problems in Supply Chain, Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, and Resiliency just to name a few areas. The

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