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.
Western Carolina University
- Public 4 Year
- Cullowhee, NC
-
4.6 | 10 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Western Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and criminal justice. The campus sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Cullowhee.
- SAT Range 1080-1270
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $13,767
Methodist University
- Private 4 Year
- Fayetteville, NC
-
| 0 reviews
Methodist University is a private university known for undergraduate PGA golf management and business. The campus sits in Fayetteville near Fort Liberty.
- SAT Range 1080-1250
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $26,334
Belhaven University
- Private 4 Year
- Jackson, MS
-
| 0 reviews
Belhaven is a private Christian university known for undergraduate dance, music, and visual arts. The urban campus sits in Jackson's historic Belhaven neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1010-1298
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 50%
- Net Price $16,299
University of Charleston
- Private 4 Year
- Charleston, WV
-
1.0 | 1 reviews
University of Charleston is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The urban campus sits along the Kanawha River in West Virginia's capital.
- SAT Range 985-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $20,844
Murray State University
- Public 4 Year
- Murray, KY
-
| 0 reviews
Murray State is a public university known for undergraduate education, agriculture, and nursing. Murray is a small college town in western Kentucky built around the campus.
- SAT Range 940-1170
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $10,182
Georgia College & State University
- Public 4 Year
- Milledgeville, GA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Georgia College is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts and sciences. The residential campus occupies historic grounds in downtown Milledgeville, Georgia's former capital.
- SAT Range 1070-1230
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $21,632
Life University
- Private 4 Year
- Marietta, GA
-
| 0 reviews
Life University is a private university known for chiropractic education and undergraduate exercise science and biology. The suburban campus is in Marietta near Atlanta.
- SAT Range 920-1130
- Avg GPA 3.11
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $29,111
Reinhardt University
- Private 4 Year
- Waleska, GA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Reinhardt is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and music. The campus is set in the small North Georgia mountain town of Waleska.
- SAT Range 940-1160
- Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $24,550
University of Louisiana at Monroe
- Public 4 Year
- Monroe, LA
-
| 0 reviews
ULM is a public university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and health sciences. The campus borders Bayou DeSiard in Monroe.
- SAT Range 1160-1360
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $13,648
Mississippi University for Women
- Public 4 Year
- Columbus, MS
-
| 0 reviews
Mississippi University for Women is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Historically the first public women's college in the United States, the Columbus campus is now coeducational.
- SAT Range 850-1180
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $12,487
Brenau University
- Private 4 Year
- Gainesville, GA
-
| 0 reviews
Brenau is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts. Traditional undergraduates enroll in its residential Women's College on a historic campus in Gainesville.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $19,743
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
- Private 4 Year
- Baton Rouge, LA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
FranU is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The compact Baton Rouge campus is tied to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady health system.
- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $16,432
University of West Florida
- Public 4 Year
- Pensacola, FL
-
| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UWF is a public university known for undergraduate marine biology, archaeology, and nursing. The wooded Pensacola campus includes a large nature preserve.
- SAT Range 1020-1230
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $10,092
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.
- SAT Range 945-1120
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $14,378
Winthrop University
- Public 4 Year
- Rock Hill, SC
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Winthrop is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, visual and performing arts, and business. The historic campus sits in Rock Hill, near the Charlotte metro area.
- SAT Range 1010-1220
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $16,108
Spalding University
- Private 4 Year
- Louisville, KY
-
| 0 reviews
Spalding is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The urban campus sits in downtown Louisville.
- SAT Range 875-1038
- Avg GPA 3.87
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $25,999
Florida Gulf Coast University
- Public 4 Year
- Fort Myers, FL
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
- Nov 1 application deadline
FGCU is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science, marine science, and hospitality management. The Fort Myers campus includes nature preserves and sits near the Gulf Coast.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $12,863
Tennessee Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Athens, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Tennessee Wesleyan is a small private Methodist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus sits in the small town of Athens in East Tennessee.
- SAT Range 960-1100
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $15,125