Marietta’s high school graduates are academically well-prepared for undergraduate life and have access to some of Georgia’s top colleges and universities. Some campuses are right here in town, others are an easy drive into Atlanta, and a few classic Southern names are close enough for a day trip, traffic permitting (Atlanta traffic has its own personality). For those ready for a college tour, higher education choices sit in almost every direction.
Marietta Schools: A Short Drive
Chattahoochee Technical College (Marietta)
Chattahoochee Tech has a Marietta campus at 980 South Cobb Drive, plus additional nearby locations, and is a popular route for career-focused training and affordable programs.
Kennesaw State University Marietta Campus
Kennesaw State University operates a Marietta campus in addition to its Kennesaw location, giving locals a large public-university option close to home. In fact, the 50,000+ enrollment at KSU makes it the largest university in Georgia (yes, ahead of Georgia Tech, UGA, and Georgia State).
Life University (Marietta)
Life University is based in Marietta and is best known for health-science programs, including its Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Atlanta Area Schools: 30 Min to 1 Hour
Agnes Scott College (Decatur)
Agnes Scott is a private women’s college in metro Atlanta (Decatur) with coed graduate programs.
Emory University (Atlanta)
Emory is a highly regarded private university in Atlanta with a strong research footprint and a wide academic menu.
Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta)
Georgia Tech is a major public research institution in Atlanta and a go-to name for engineering, computing, and STEM-heavy fields.
Georgia State University (Atlanta)
Georgia State is a large public university with multiple metro Atlanta campuses and a downtown presence that appeals to students who want an urban setting.
Oglethorpe University (Atlanta)
Oglethorpe is a smaller liberal arts and sciences university in Atlanta.
Atlanta is also home to prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), notably within the Atlanta University Center (AUC): Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College, along with the Morehouse School of Medicine and Morris Brown College.
Day Trip Campuses: 1 to 2 Hours
Berry College (Rome)
Berry is known for its massive setting. The school describes its campus as 27,000 acres. Rome is about an hour drive from Marietta in light traffic.
Mercer University (Macon)
Mercer’s Macon campus is a key Mercer location and sits under two hours from Marietta in typical conditions.
University of Georgia (Athens)
UGA, the state’s flagship public university, is in Athens and is a classic choice for big-school academics and athletics. Athens is roughly an hour and a half drive from Marietta in light traffic.
University of West Georgia (Carrollton)
UWG is based in Carrollton and is often on the short list for students who want a regional public university option outside the Atlanta core.
A Bit Farther, Still Worth Knowing
Some well-known options push past the two-hour mark, but they come up often in conversations with Georgia families, especially for engineering, sports, and big-campus energy.
- Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama): Drive time is commonly a little over two hours from Marietta.
- Clemson University (Clemson, South Carolina): Typically about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Marietta by car.
- Georgia Southern University (Statesboro): Closer to four hours from Marietta, so it’s more “weekend trip” than “day trip.”
A Quick Tip for New Arrivals
In metro Atlanta, “distance” is only half the story. A campus that looks close on a map can much feel farther at 5 pm, and a longer drive can feel easy at 10 am. Planning campus visits outside peak morning and afternoon traffic can save lots of time and stress.
