Top Rated Southeast Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the Southeast as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the Southeast is University of Virginia Main Campus. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
University of North Carolina Asheville
- Public 4 Year
- Asheville, NC
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNC Asheville is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate environmental studies and the arts. The campus sits in the mountain city of Asheville in the Blue Ridge.
- SAT Range 1170-1360
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $13,798
University of Arkansas
- Public 4 Year
- Fayetteville, AR
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Arkansas is a large public university known for undergraduate business and architecture. The campus sits in the college town of Fayetteville in the Ozark Mountains.
- SAT Range 1030-1220
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $18,408
Virginia Commonwealth University
- Public 4 Year
- Richmond, VA
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3.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 18 application deadline
VCU is a large public university known for undergraduate fine arts, design, and health professions. The urban campus stretches across downtown Richmond.
- SAT Range 1010-1270
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $26,836
University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Public 4 Year
- Huntsville, AL
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| 0 reviews
UAH is a public university known for undergraduate aerospace engineering, engineering, and the sciences. The Huntsville campus sits near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and a major aerospace industry hub.
- SAT Range 1210-1410
- Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $19,396
Old Dominion University
- Public 4 Year
- Norfolk, VA
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4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Old Dominion is a large public university known for undergraduate oceanography, engineering, and nursing. The urban campus sits in the coastal city of Norfolk.
- SAT Range 1100-1280
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $16,419
Mississippi State University
- Public 4 Year
- Mississippi State, MS
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Mississippi State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and architecture. Starkville is a college town centered on the campus.
- SAT Range 1100-1350
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $18,478
Tennessee Technological University
- Public 4 Year
- Cookeville, TN
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Tennessee Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in the college town of Cookeville on the Cumberland Plateau.
- SAT Range 1048-1310
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $15,336
Radford University
- Public 4 Year
- Radford, VA
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3.5 | 2 reviews
Radford is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small college town in southwestern Virginia's New River Valley.
- SAT Range 940-1160
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $16,749
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Public 4 Year
- Charlotte, NC
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| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UNC Charlotte is a large public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and architecture. The suburban campus sits in North Carolina's largest city.
- SAT Range 1140-1330
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $15,045
University of North Florida
- Public 4 Year
- Jacksonville, FL
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| 0 reviews
UNF is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and coastal biology. The suburban Jacksonville campus includes lakes and a large nature preserve with trails.
- SAT Range 1070-1270
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 53%
- Net Price $11,135
West Virginia University
- Public 4 Year
- Morgantown, WV
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4.0 | 4 reviews
WVU is a large public university known for undergraduate forensic science, engineering, and journalism. The campus spreads across a hilly college town in Morgantown along the Monongahela River.
- SAT Range 1010-1220
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $15,169
East Carolina University
- Public 4 Year
- Greenville, NC
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4.2 | 4 reviews
East Carolina is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Greenville, a college town in eastern North Carolina.
- SAT Range 1070-1240
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $13,755
Florida International University
- Public 4 Year
- Miami, FL
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4.1 | 7 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
FIU is a large public university known for undergraduate hospitality management and international business. The urban campus in Miami has a large Hispanic student population and strong Latin American ties.
- SAT Range 1070-1260
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $11,178
Appalachian State University
- Public 4 Year
- Boone, NC
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4.3 | 10 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Appalachian State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and sustainable development. Boone is a mountain college town in North Carolina's Blue Ridge range.
- SAT Range 1120-1280
- Avg GPA 3.96
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $14,978
University of Montevallo
- Public 4 Year
- Montevallo, AL
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5.0 | 2 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.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 54%
- Net Price $17,890
Louisiana Tech University
- Public 4 Year
- Ruston, LA
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3.3 | 3 reviews
Louisiana Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and architecture. Ruston is a college town in northern Louisiana built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1100-1310
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $12,325
Longwood University
- Public 4 Year
- Farmville, VA
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| 0 reviews
Longwood is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Farmville.
- SAT Range 1030-1210
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,847
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Public 4 Year
- Greensboro, NC
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
UNCG is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the performing arts. The urban campus is located in Greensboro.
- SAT Range 1150-1355
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $11,404