Top Rated South Private Colleges
These are the top ranked private four-year colleges in the South. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the highest ranked private college in the South is Duke University. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Concordia University Texas
- Private 4 Year
- Austin, TX
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4.0 | 2 reviews
Concordia Texas is a private Lutheran university with undergraduate programs in nursing, business, and education. The campus is in northwest Austin.
- SAT Range 860-1100
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $24,723
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
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
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
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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
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
Bethel University
- Private 4 Year
- McKenzie, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Bethel is a private Christian university affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, known for undergraduate business and education programs. The campus is set in the small town of McKenzie in western Tennessee.
- SAT Range 830-1120
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $13,112
Johnson C Smith University
- Private 4 Year
- Charlotte, NC
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
Johnson C. Smith is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate business, computer science, and social work. The compact urban campus sits in Charlotte's historic West End.
- SAT Range 800-980
- Avg GPA 2.48
- Acceptance Rate 45%
- Net Price $19,705
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.
- SAT Range 960-1170
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $32,514
Clark Atlanta University
- Private 4 Year
- Atlanta, GA
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| 0 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Clark Atlanta is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate social work, business, and mass media arts. The urban Atlanta campus is part of the Atlanta University Center consortium with neighboring HBCUs.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $31,223
Dillard University
- Private 4 Year
- New Orleans, LA
-
| 0 reviews
Dillard is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, public health, and the sciences. The urban campus sits in New Orleans's Gentilly neighborhood.
- SAT Range 968-1202
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $21,842
Claflin University
- Private 4 Year
- Orangeburg, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Claflin is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate biology, business, and education. The residential campus is located in Orangeburg in central South Carolina.
- SAT Range 840-1040
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $17,272
Newberry College
- Private 4 Year
- Newberry, SC
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
Newberry is a private liberal arts college with undergraduate programs in education and business. The residential campus sits in the small town of Newberry and has long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- SAT Range 820-1060
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $21,943
Union Commonwealth University
- Private 4 Year
- Barbourville, KY
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4.5 | 2 reviews
Union Commonwealth is a small private university with undergraduate programs in education, business, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the Appalachian college town of Barbourville.
- SAT Range 920-1105
- Avg GPA 3.15
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $17,124
University of the Cumberlands
- Private 4 Year
- Williamsburg, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 31 application deadline
University of the Cumberlands is a private Christian university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. Students live on a residential campus in the small Appalachian town of Williamsburg.
- SAT Range 960-1160
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $14,743
Nelson University
- Private 4 Year
- Waxahachie, TX
-
| 0 reviews
Nelson is a private Assemblies of God university known for undergraduate ministry and education programs. The campus is in Waxahachie, a small city south of Dallas.
- SAT Range 890-1090
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $22,359