Best Value Southern Colleges

There are 359 colleges in the South ranked by value using the same methodology as our national list. Rankings balance academic quality with the net price students typically pay.

University of Tulsa leads South value rankings for 2027 with a 10 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $13,095. The top value public university is New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Also high value: Duke University, Johns Hopkins University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the colleges below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.

359 Results
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South Public Private 4 Year

Texas Lutheran University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Seguin, TX
  • | 0 reviews

Texas Lutheran is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus is in Seguin, a small city northeast of San Antonio.

#325 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.9
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $25,119
Details

The University of Texas Permian Basin

  • Public 4 Year
  • Odessa, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 23 application deadline

UT Permian Basin is a public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and business. The campus is located in Odessa in West Texas's Permian Basin.

#326 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.27
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $13,563
Details

The University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Public 4 Year
  • San Antonio, TX
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UTSA is a large public university known for undergraduate cybersecurity and business. The main campus sits in northwest San Antonio near the Texas Hill Country.

#327 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $10,959
Details

Texas Southern University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 3.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Texas Southern is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Houston's Third Ward.

#328 Best Value in the South 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1000
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $13,584
Details

Texas Wesleyan University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

Texas Wesleyan is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The historic campus sits in Fort Worth's Polytechnic Heights neighborhood.

#329 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $26,416
Details

Texas Woman's University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Denton, TX
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews

TWU is a public university primarily for women, known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Denton, a college town north of Dallas-Fort Worth.

#330 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $11,636
Details

West Texas A & M University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Canyon, TX
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

West Texas A&M is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus is in Canyon, a small college town in the Texas Panhandle.

#331 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $15,572
Details

Averett University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Danville, VA
  • 1.8 | 4 reviews

Averett is a private university known for undergraduate aviation and business programs. The small campus sits in the city of Danville near the North Carolina border.

#332 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 926-1143
  • Avg GPA 3.07
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $23,471
Details

Bridgewater College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Bridgewater, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Bridgewater is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate programs in biology, business, and education. The Church of the Brethren-affiliated campus sits in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

#333 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1360
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $11,316
Details

Regent University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Virginia Beach, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Regent is a private Christian university known for undergraduate communication, government, and the arts. The suburban campus is in Virginia Beach near the Atlantic coast.

#334 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.34
  • Acceptance Rate 38%
  • Net Price $20,512
Details

Emory & Henry University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Emory, VA
  • | 0 reviews

Emory & Henry is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate teacher education and the social sciences. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.

#335 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1051-1223
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $21,446
Details

Eastern Mennonite University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Harrisonburg, VA
  • | 0 reviews

Eastern Mennonite is a private Mennonite university known for undergraduate peacebuilding and nursing. Students attend a residential campus in Harrisonburg in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

#336 Best Value in the South 0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1590
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $25,021
Details

Hampton University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Hampton, VA
  • 3.8 | 6 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Hampton is a private HBCU known for undergraduate journalism, business, and nursing. The waterfront campus sits along the Hampton River near the Chesapeake Bay.

#337 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 790-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $27,428
Details

Liberty University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Lynchburg, VA
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews

Liberty is a private Christian university known for undergraduate aviation, nursing, and business. The Lynchburg campus sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

#338 Best Value in the South
  • SAT Range 1040-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $29,532
Details

Longwood University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Farmville, VA
  • | 0 reviews

Longwood is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Farmville.

#339 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $20,847
Details

Mary Baldwin University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Staunton, VA
  • | 0 reviews

Mary Baldwin is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs and the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership. The residential campus is in the historic Shenandoah Valley city of Staunton.

#340 Best Value in the South
  • SAT Range 940-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $17,810
Details

Norfolk State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Norfolk, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 31 application deadline

Norfolk State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, social work, and communications. The urban campus sits in Norfolk near downtown and the Elizabeth River.

#341 Best Value in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 823-1030
  • Avg GPA 2.9
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $9,124
Details

University of Virginia's College at Wise

  • Public 4 Year
  • Wise, VA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

UVA Wise is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.

#342 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 945-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 29%
  • Net Price $14,378
Details