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
University of West Alabama Campus
 

University of West Alabama

  • Public 4 Year
  • Livingston, AL
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 10 application deadline

West Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate education and business programs. The campus sits in the small town of Livingston in western Alabama.

#145 Best Value in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 43%
  • Net Price $13,954
Details

University of Montevallo

  • Public 4 Year
  • Montevallo, AL
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Montevallo is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education, fine arts, and the performing arts. The historic campus sits in a small college town in central Alabama.

#146 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 54%
  • Net Price $17,890
Details

University of South Alabama

  • Public 4 Year
  • Mobile, AL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

South Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus is in the coastal city of Mobile near Mobile Bay.

#147 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $16,074
Details

Troy University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Troy, AL
  • 5.0 | 4 reviews

Troy is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. The main campus is a residential college-town setting in southeastern Alabama.

#148 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,842
Details

Tuskegee University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Tuskegee, AL
  • 4.0 | 5 reviews
  • Apr 15 application deadline

Tuskegee is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and veterinary science. The rural campus is a historic HBCU in Alabama.

#149 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 995-1255
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 49%
  • Net Price $24,344
Details
Arizona Christian University Campus
 

Arizona Christian University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Glendale, AZ
  • | 0 reviews

Arizona Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and education. The suburban campus sits in Glendale in the Phoenix metro area.

#150 Best Value in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $32,514
Details

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

  • Public 4 Year
  • Little Rock, AR
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 17 application deadline

UA Little Rock is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Arkansas's capital city.

#151 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 59%
  • Net Price $12,033
Details

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pine Bluff, AR
  • | 0 reviews

UAPB is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate aquaculture and agriculture. Students study on a residential campus in Pine Bluff in southeastern Arkansas.

#152 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 845-1108
  • Avg GPA 2.9
  • Acceptance Rate 41%
  • Net Price $12,373
Details

Arkansas State University

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

Arkansas State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, agriculture, and business. The campus is located in Jonesboro in northeast Arkansas.

#153 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $12,410
Details

Arkansas Tech University

  • 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.

#154 Best Value in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,626
Details

University of Central Arkansas

  • Public 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.

#155 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,546
Details

Henderson State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Arkadelphia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Henderson State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus sits in the small college town of Arkadelphia.

#156 Best Value in the South
  • SAT Range 903-1073
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $20,444
Details

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

  • Public 4 Year
  • Magnolia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 27 application deadline

SAU is a public university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The campus is in the small college town of Magnolia.

#157 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 875-1105
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $13,442
Details

Delaware State University

  • 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.

#158 Best Value in the South 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1020
  • Avg GPA 3.09
  • Acceptance Rate 47%
  • Net Price $13,953
Details

Bethune Cookman University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Daytona Beach, FL
  • | 0 reviews

Bethune-Cookman is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in Daytona Beach near Florida's Atlantic coast.

#159 Best Value in the South 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-990
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $12,476
Details

Lynn University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boca Raton, FL
  • 3.0 | 4 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Lynn is a private university known for undergraduate business, communication, and hospitality management. The suburban Boca Raton campus sits near Florida's Atlantic coast.

#160 Best Value in the South
  • SAT Range 1040-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $45,469
Details

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Tallahassee, FL
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

FAMU is a public HBCU known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and engineering. The campus is located in Florida's capital city of Tallahassee.

#161 Best Value in the South 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.65
  • Acceptance Rate 21%
  • Net Price $13,819
Details

Florida Atlantic University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Boca Raton, FL
  • 4.2 | 4 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

FAU is a large public university known for undergraduate ocean engineering and marine science. The Boca Raton campus sits near the Atlantic coast in South Florida.

#162 Best Value in the South 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.74
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $10,225
Details