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

Stetson University

  • Private 4 Year
  • DeLand, FL
  • | 0 reviews

Stetson is a private university known for undergraduate business and music. The historic campus sits in the college town of DeLand in Central Florida.

#19 Best Value in the South 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $20,319
Details

Austin College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Sherman, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 31 application deadline

Austin College is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and international studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Sherman, north of Dallas.

#20 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1100-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.63
  • Acceptance Rate 48%
  • Net Price $23,462
Details

The University of Texas at Austin

  • Public 4 Year
  • Austin, TX
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • Dec 1 application deadline

UT Austin is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and computer science. The urban campus occupies a large site in central Austin.

#21 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1250-1510
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 27%
  • Net Price $17,942
Details

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

  • Public 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 4 application deadline

Georgia Tech is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and the sciences. The urban campus sits in midtown Atlanta.

#22 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1370-1540
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.85
  • Acceptance Rate 14%
  • Net Price $15,918
Details

Mercer University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Macon, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Mercer is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and music. Most undergrads study on the historic main campus in Macon.

#23 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.98
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $24,364
Details

University of Maryland College Park

  • Public 4 Year
  • College Park, MD
  • 4.8 | 6 reviews

UMD is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and journalism. The College Park campus sits just outside Washington, D.C.

#24 Best Value in the South 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1400-1530
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.84
  • Acceptance Rate 45%
  • Net Price $16,581
Details

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

  • Public 4 Year
  • Raleigh, NC
  • 5.0 | 4 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

NC State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and textiles. The campus sits in Raleigh within North Carolina's Research Triangle.

#25 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1300-1470
  • Avg GPA 3.83
  • Acceptance Rate 42%
  • Net Price $15,522
Details

Furman University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Greenville, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Furman is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate biology, political science, and business. The residential campus centers on a lake just outside Greenville.

#26 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1260-1430
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 43%
  • Net Price $34,086
Details

Rhodes College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Memphis, TN
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Rhodes is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology and international studies. The collegiate Gothic campus sits in a wooded residential section of Memphis.

#27 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1300-1486
  • Avg GPA 3.99
  • Acceptance Rate 50%
  • Net Price $31,037
Details

Wofford College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • 3.1 | 8 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Wofford is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology, finance, and government. The historic campus in Spartanburg has a large Greek system.

#28 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1198-1343
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 52%
  • Net Price $30,481
Details

The University of the South

  • Private 4 Year
  • Sewanee, TN
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Sewanee is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate English, creative writing, and environmental studies. The campus occupies a 13,000-acre domain on Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau.

#29 Best Value in the South 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1260-1390
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $34,815
Details

University of Georgia

  • Public 4 Year
  • Athens, GA
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

UGA is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, business, and agricultural sciences. The historic campus anchors the college town of Athens.

#30 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1270-1480
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 38%
  • Net Price $16,662
Details

Bellarmine University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Louisville, KY
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Bellarmine is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The campus occupies a residential setting in Louisville.

#31 Best Value in the South 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $23,165
Details

Mount St. Mary's University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Emmitsburg, MD
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Mount St. Mary's is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in rural Emmitsburg near the Catoctin Mountains.

#32 Best Value in the South 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1046-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $23,027
Details

Presbyterian College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Clinton, SC
  • 3.7 | 3 reviews
  • Sep 21 application deadline

Presbyterian College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and known for undergraduate business and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Clinton.

#33 Best Value in the South 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $20,840
Details

Union University

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

Union is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and Christian studies. The residential campus sits in Jackson in West Tennessee.

#34 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 60%
  • Net Price $28,452
Details

Hendrix College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Hendrix is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and its Odyssey experiential-learning program. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Conway.

#35 Best Value in the South 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1123-1348
  • Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 56%
  • Net Price $24,699
Details

Florida State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Tallahassee, FL
  • 5.0 | 6 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

FSU is a large public university known for undergraduate film, criminology, and music. The campus is in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city.

#36 Best Value in the South 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1270-1410
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 24%
  • Net Price $15,815
Details