Top Rated South Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the South as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the South is University of Virginia Main Campus. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
The University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Public 4 Year
- Knoxville, TN
-
4.8 | 5 reviews
Tennessee is a large public university known for undergraduate supply chain management, business, and nuclear engineering. The campus borders the Tennessee River in Knoxville.
- SAT Range 1200-1370
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $21,648
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
- Public 4 Year
- Charleston, SC
-
| 0 reviews
The Citadel is a public military college known for undergraduate engineering, business, and criminal justice. Most undergrads join the Corps of Cadets and live in barracks under a structured military system on the historic Charleston campus.
- SAT Range 1085-1285
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 23%
- Net Price $22,124
The University of Texas at Dallas
- Public 4 Year
- Richardson, TX
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
UT Dallas is a public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and business. The suburban Richardson campus sits in the Dallas area's tech corridor.
- SAT Range 1160-1410
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.78
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $14,916
George Mason University
- Public 4 Year
- Fairfax, VA
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
George Mason is a large public university known for undergraduate economics, public policy, and computer science. The suburban Fairfax campus sits near Washington, D.C.
- SAT Range 1160-1360
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $18,823
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Norman, OK
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
OU is a large public university known for undergraduate meteorology and petroleum engineering. Norman is a classic college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1140-1330
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $18,574
James Madison University
- Public 4 Year
- Harrisonburg, VA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
JMU is a large public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. Harrisonburg is a college town in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
- SAT Range 1170-1340
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $18,856
University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Public 4 Year
- Baltimore, MD
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
UMBC is a public university known for undergraduate computer science, information systems, and engineering. The suburban campus sits in Baltimore County just outside the city.
- SAT Range 1240-1420
- Avg GPA 3.97
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $18,770
University of Mary Washington
- Public 4 Year
- Fredericksburg, VA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Mary Washington is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate historic preservation and education. The historic campus sits in Fredericksburg near the Rappahannock River.
- SAT Range 1170-1370
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $21,800
University of Arizona
- Public 4 Year
- Tucson, AZ
-
| 0 reviews
Arizona is a large public university known for undergraduate astronomy, optical sciences, and planetary science. The main campus sits in the Sonoran Desert in Tucson.
- SAT Range 1150-1420
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $19,055
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- Public 4 Year
- Winston Salem, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- Mar 15 application deadline
UNCSA is a public arts conservatory known for undergraduate dance, drama, music, and filmmaking. Students train on a specialized campus in Winston-Salem devoted to intensive performing-arts study.
- SAT Range 1140-1370
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 30%
- Net Price $13,140
Auburn University
- Public 4 Year
- Auburn, AL
-
4.6 | 9 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Auburn is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. The residential campus anchors the classic college town of Auburn.
- SAT Range 1260-1390
- Avg GPA 3.97
- Acceptance Rate 46%
- Net Price $25,242
Louisiana State University
- Public 4 Year
- Baton Rouge, LA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
LSU is a large public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering, agriculture, and business. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.
- SAT Range 1180-1340
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $21,430
Salisbury University
- Public 4 Year
- Salisbury, MD
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Salisbury is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small city on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
- SAT Range 1180-1320
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $18,760
University of Mississippi
- Public 4 Year
- University, MS
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
Ole Miss is a large public university known for undergraduate accountancy and business. Oxford is a classic college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1000-1200
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $15,045
Christopher Newport University
- Public 4 Year
- Newport News, VA
-
3.2 | 4 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Christopher Newport is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate leadership studies and political science. The residential campus in Newport News features classical Georgian architecture.
- SAT Range 1060-1290
- Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,148
College of Charleston
- Public 4 Year
- Charleston, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
College of Charleston is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate marine biology and historic preservation. The historic campus sits in downtown Charleston near the harbor.
- SAT Range 1140-1310
- Avg GPA 3.94
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $21,004
University of North Carolina Wilmington
- Public 4 Year
- Wilmington, NC
-
3.4 | 5 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
UNCW is a public university known for undergraduate marine biology and coastal sciences. The campus sits in coastal Wilmington near the Atlantic beaches.
- SAT Range 1230-1340
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $18,976
Towson University
- Public 4 Year
- Towson, MD
-
3.8 | 4 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Towson is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and communications. The suburban campus sits just north of Baltimore.
- SAT Range 950-1235
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $16,653