Best Southern Colleges

There are 1097 colleges and universities in the South enrolling 7,307,736 students. Explore the list of top colleges in the South below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in South offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.

The  South is home to nationally ranked institutions like Duke University, Rice University, Johns Hopkins University and Vanderbilt University. The highest ranked college in the South is Duke University and the top rated public state college is University of Virginia Main Campus.

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List of the Best South Colleges

University of Mount Olive Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Mount Olive, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Mount Olive is a private Christian university known for undergraduate agriculture and business. The residential campus is in the small town of Mount Olive in eastern North Carolina.

#289 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1150
  • Avg GPA 2.85
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $18,853
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Charleston Southern University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Charleston, SC
  • | 0 reviews

Charleston Southern is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus sits in North Charleston in the greater Charleston area.

#290 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1160
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $21,080
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Delaware State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Dover, DE
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Delaware State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate aviation and agriculture. The main campus is in Dover, Delaware's capital city.

#291 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1020
  • Avg GPA 3.09
  • Acceptance Rate 47%
  • Net Price $13,953
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North Carolina A & T State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Greensboro, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

NC A&T is a large public HBCU known for undergraduate engineering and agriculture. The urban campus is in Greensboro.

#292 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 50%
  • Net Price $10,097
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Georgia Southern University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Statesboro, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Georgia Southern is a large public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and logistics. The main campus anchors the college town of Statesboro in southeast Georgia.

#293 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 986-1133
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $15,971
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Point University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • West Point, GA
  • | 0 reviews

Point is a small private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, business, and education. The campus is in the small town of West Point on the Georgia-Alabama border.

#294 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 972-1237
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 44%
  • Net Price $19,545
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Barton College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wilson, NC
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Barton is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus is in the small city of Wilson in eastern North Carolina.

#295 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $23,962
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Arkansas Tech University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Russellville, AR
  • | 0 reviews

Arkansas Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and emergency management. The campus is in Russellville, a small city in the Arkansas River Valley.

#296 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,626
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North Carolina Wesleyan University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rocky Mount, NC
  • | 0 reviews

North Carolina Wesleyan is a small private university known for undergraduate business, education, and criminal justice. The residential campus is located in Rocky Mount in eastern North Carolina.

#297 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $18,472
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Coker University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Hartsville, SC
  • | 0 reviews

Coker is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs and round-table classroom teaching. The historic campus sits in the small town of Hartsville.

#298 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1160
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $19,823
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Elizabeth City State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Elizabeth City, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 30 application deadline

ECSU is a public HBCU known for undergraduate aviation and teacher education. The campus is in the small coastal city of Elizabeth City in northeastern North Carolina.

#299 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1080
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $6,483
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Valdosta State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Valdosta, GA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jun 15 application deadline

Valdosta State is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus is in the south Georgia city of Valdosta.

#300 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $11,144
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University of South Carolina Beaufort Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Bluffton, SC
  • | 0 reviews

A public university known for undergraduate nursing, hospitality management, and biology. The Bluffton campus sits in South Carolina's Lowcountry near Hilton Head Island.

#301 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.82
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $15,363
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Bethel University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • McKenzie, TN
  • | 0 reviews

Bethel is a private Christian university affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, known for undergraduate business and education programs. The campus is set in the small town of McKenzie in western Tennessee.

#302 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 60%
  • Net Price $13,112
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Johnson C Smith University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Charlotte, NC
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews

Johnson C. Smith is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate business, computer science, and social work. The compact urban campus sits in Charlotte's historic West End.

#303 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-980
  • Avg GPA 2.48
  • Acceptance Rate 45%
  • Net Price $19,705
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Bluefield State University Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Bluefield, WV
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Bluefield State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate nursing, engineering technology, and education. The campus is in Bluefield, a small city in the Appalachian mountains of southern West Virginia.

#304 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1080
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $15,814
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Western Kentucky University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Bowling Green, KY
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

WKU is a public university known for undergraduate journalism, photojournalism, and broadcasting. The hilltop campus overlooks Bowling Green in south-central Kentucky.

#305 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 840-1050
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $12,548
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Fairmont State University Campus

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  • Public 4 Year
  • Fairmont, WV
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Fairmont State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The hilltop campus overlooks the small city of Fairmont in north-central West Virginia.

#306 Best Colleges in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 810-1070
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $11,328
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