Middle Georgia State is the University System of Georgia's flight school. Its Eastman campus sits beside a regional airport with a training fleet of more than 50 aircraft, and in Macon it runs the airport's flight services. The university has five campuses, with its headquarters on a wooded Macon campus that opened as a junior college in 1968. It was formed in 2013 by merging two older colleges.
About this site
Middle Georgia State University is a college & university in Macon, Bibb County. It is one of 3 colleges & universities documented in Bibb County, among 199 historic sites cataloged across the county on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 32.8071, -83.7324 near Macon. The nearest cataloged historic site is Peacock Gallery (museum), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens, Colonial Trading Path, and Macon Memorial Park.
This record is drawn from Georgia Roam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Middle Georgia State University different
The Eastman campus is the only campus in the University System of Georgia that offers flight training and airport management. It sits beside Heart of Georgia Regional Airport and uses a fleet of more than 50 training aircraft. mga.edu
MGA's Air Traffic Management program was the first in Georgia to earn the FAA's enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative recognition. mga.edu
MGA is one of 13 universities in Delta Air Lines' Propel Pilot Career Path Program. mga.edu
The university runs the fixed-base operation at Macon Downtown Airport, providing fuel and ground services along with flight instruction. iflymacon.com
The Museum of Technology, inside the Macon campus library, displays vintage computers and other digital-age artifacts. Students help restore them. mga.edu
Macon Junior College opened in 1968 with about 1,100 students on a new campus in west Macon. That campus is now the university's headquarters. en.wikipedia.org
The university has two roots. The older is in Cochran, where New Ebenezer College opened in 1884. The school later became an agricultural and mechanical school and, from 1929, Middle Georgia College. Its junior-college baseball program sent several players to the major leagues. The younger root is Macon Junior College, which opened in 1968 on a new, heavily landscaped campus in west Macon with about 1,100 students. It dropped "Junior" from its name in 1987 and became Macon State College in 1997, when it began adding bachelor's degrees.
In 2013 the University System of Georgia merged Macon State and Middle Georgia College into Middle Georgia State College, with campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman and Warner Robins. Christopher Blake became president in 2014, and the school gained university status and its current name in 2015. The merged university's Eastman campus is home to the School of Aviation, the only USG campus offering flight training and airport management.
Since then MGA has added graduate programs, residence halls on the Macon campus and new degrees in computing and applied artificial intelligence. In 2025 its athletic program began moving from the NAIA to NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference. It is scheduled to become a full member in 2028–29.
MGA offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees through six schools. Several programs are tied to one campus: aviation in Eastman, computing in Warner Robins and many nursing programs in Macon and Dublin. The list below shows each school with some representative programs. The official Programs by Location page shows where each degree is taught.
Known for
Aviation (flight, air traffic management, aviation maintenance, aviation science and management)
MGA is the only USG institution with flight training and airport management. Students train on more than 50 aircraft at the Eastman airport.
Known for
Air Traffic Management
The first program in Georgia with the FAA's enhanced AT-CTI recognition.
Known for
Computer Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence
Taught by the School of Computing on the Warner Robins campus, near Robins Air Force Base, a major regional employer.
Known for
Nursing and health sciences
Taught through the College of Nursing and Allied Health, with nursing simulation labs on the Dublin campus.
All degree programs at Middle Georgia State University (6)
School of Aviation
Majors include flight (airplane and helicopter), aviation science and management, air traffic management and aviation maintenance technology
School of Computing
Majors include computer science, applied artificial intelligence, data science and biology
School of Business
Majors include accounting, management, marketing, supply chain and logistics management, and health services administration
College of Nursing and Allied Health
Majors include nursing, health science and rehabilitation science
School of Arts and Letters
Majors include English, creative writing, digital media, film production, graphic design and painting
School of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Majors include elementary and special education, criminal justice and psychology
Josh Reddick — MLB outfielder and 2012 American League Gold Glove winner (attended Middle Georgia College) en.wikipedia.org
Jim Leyritz — catcher on the New York Yankees' 1996 and 1999 World Series champions (attended Middle Georgia College) en.wikipedia.org
Ernest Riles — MLB infielder with the Brewers and Giants, drafted out of Middle Georgia College in 1981 en.wikipedia.org
Emory Gordy Jr. — bassist and record producer inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. He was the university's first Alumnus of the Year (2015) en.wikipedia.org
Danny Mathis — Georgia state representative and county coroner (attended Middle Georgia College) en.wikipedia.org
Athletics: MGA Knights
NCAA Division II (provisional; full membership scheduled for 2028–29) · Peach Belt Conference (formerly NAIA, Southern States Athletic Conference)
BaseballBasketballCross countrySoccerSoftballTennisTrack & field (women's distance)Volleyball
Joined NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference as a provisional member in July 2025 mga.edu
Advanced to Provisional Year 2 in 2026. Women's tennis earned a national ranking in the first Division II season peachbeltconference.org
Home venues: Georgia Premier Cross Country Course (Macon campus) · Macon campus gym and tennis courts · Athletic facilities on the Cochran campus
Middle Georgia State University hits record enrollment, focuses on affordability and access · 13WMAZMiddle Georgia State University aviation program taking flight thanks to new grant · 13WMAZMiddle Georgia State University earns federal designation for air traffic management program · 13WMAZMiddle Georgia State University Joins NCAA Division II and Peach Belt Conference · 41NBCMiddle Georgia women's basketball team thriving in first season in Peach Belt conference · 13WMAZ
Middle Georgia State University: questions & answers
Does Middle Georgia State have a flight school?
Yes. The School of Aviation on the Eastman campus offers flight training for airplanes and helicopters, air traffic management and aviation maintenance, using more than 50 training aircraft. It is the only USG campus with flight training.
How many campuses does Middle Georgia State have?
Five: Macon (headquarters), Cochran, Dublin, Eastman and Warner Robins, plus online programs.
How big is Middle Georgia State University?
It had 8,363 students across all campuses in Fall 2024, most of them undergraduates, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
What division is Middle Georgia State?
The MGA Knights joined NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference as a provisional member in 2025, after competing in the NAIA. Full membership, with NCAA postseason eligibility, is scheduled for 2028–29.
When did Macon State College become Middle Georgia State?
Macon State College merged with Middle Georgia College in 2013 to form Middle Georgia State College, which became Middle Georgia State University in 2015.
Who is the president of Middle Georgia State University?
Christopher Blake, Ph.D., who has led the institution since 2014.
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