Best Southeastern Colleges
There are 283 ranked four-year colleges in the Southeast, evaluated with the same methodology used for our national rankings. Only nonprofit, selective four-year schools are included.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, topping our list in the Southeast. The top rated public university is University of Virginia Main Campus. Also highly ranked: Johns Hopkins University, Vanderbilt University and Emory University.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Public 4 Year
- Pembroke, NC
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
UNC Pembroke is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus was founded to serve Native American students and remains closely tied to the Lumbee community.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $9,723
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.
- SAT Range 940-1210
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $12,842
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Public 4 Year
- Princess Anne, MD
-
| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UMES is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate agriculture, aviation science, and hospitality management. The rural campus is located in the small town of Princess Anne on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
- SAT Range 840-1010
- Avg GPA 3.07
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $13,311
Tougaloo College
- Private 4 Year
- Tougaloo, MS
-
| 0 reviews
Tougaloo is a private historically Black liberal arts college known for undergraduate programs in the sciences and social sciences. The historic campus just outside Jackson was a key site in the Civil Rights Movement.
- SAT Range 790-1090
- Avg GPA 2.8
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $14,328
Virginia State University
- Public 4 Year
- Petersburg, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Virginia State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The historic campus is in Petersburg near Richmond.
- SAT Range 840-1070
- Avg GPA 2.85
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $17,840
University of Mount Olive
- 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.
- SAT Range 990-1150
- Avg GPA 2.85
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $18,853
Charleston Southern University
- 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.
- SAT Range 930-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $21,080
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.
- SAT Range 800-1020
- Avg GPA 3.09
- Acceptance Rate 47%
- Net Price $13,953
North Carolina A & T State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 1020-1190
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 50%
- Net Price $10,097
Georgia Southern University
- 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.
- SAT Range 986-1133
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $15,971
Point University
- 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.
- SAT Range 972-1237
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 44%
- Net Price $19,545
Barton College
- 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.
- SAT Range 970-1150
- Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $23,962
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.
- SAT Range 880-1100
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $12,626
North Carolina Wesleyan University
- 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.
- SAT Range 860-1120
- Avg GPA 3.2
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $18,472
Coker University
- 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.
- SAT Range 940-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $19,823
Elizabeth City State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 920-1080
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $6,483
Valdosta State University
- 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.
- SAT Range 920-1100
- Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $11,144
University of South Carolina Beaufort
- 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.
- SAT Range 940-1110
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $15,363