Georgia State University. Source: Facebook
ATLANTA - Georgia State University has landed in the national spotlight for something beyond academics or athletics: it is officially the 8th-most Instagrammed college in the United States.
What we know:
The ranking comes from a new analysis by Covers.com Editor-in-Chief James Bisson, who examined Instagram data to determine which universities generate the most posts and visual engagement on the platform. The study evaluated total hashtag usage, photographic appeal, and location-based trends to identify the campuses drawing the most attention online.
With an estimated 1.5 million Instagram posts, Georgia State finished ahead of several traditionally higher-profile schools — and notably edged out both Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The ranking reflects the university’s unique urban setting, which blends downtown Atlanta skyscrapers, green campus spaces, and game-day energy.
Popular Instagram shots tagged with #gsu, #georgiastate, and #georgiastateuniversity often feature skyline views from campus, scenes from Center Parc Stadium, and student life at Library Plaza. The combination of city backdrops and campus activity has made Georgia State especially photogenic for students and visitors alike.
Georgia State joins a top-10 list that includes major national universities such as Arizona State, UCLA, and Harvard. The recognition comes at a time when many high school seniors are weighing college decisions, making social media presence an increasingly influential factor in campus perception.
The full list ranks Arizona State University first with an estimated 2.4 million posts, followed by UCLA, the University of Central Florida, and Ohio State. Georgia State’s placement underscores the growing visibility of urban campuses in the social media era.