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 New Orleans
- Public 4 Year
- New Orleans, LA
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNO is a public university known for undergraduate naval architecture, marine engineering, and hospitality. The urban campus sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.
- SAT Range 935-1241
- Avg GPA 3.21
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $12,258
The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
- Public 4 Year
- Chattanooga, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
UTC is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and nursing. The urban campus borders the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga.
- SAT Range 1013-1210
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,347
The University of Tennessee Martin
- Public 4 Year
- Martin, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
UT Martin is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The residential campus is in the small college town of Martin in northwest Tennessee.
- SAT Range 970-1210
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $11,955
Coastal Carolina University
- Public 4 Year
- Conway, SC
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
Coastal Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate marine science and PGA golf management. The Conway campus lies a short drive from Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 1050-1220
- Avg GPA 3.72
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $14,379
Coppin State University
- Public 4 Year
- Baltimore, MD
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Coppin State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The urban campus sits in west Baltimore.
- SAT Range 880-1020
- Avg GPA 2.62
- Acceptance Rate 46%
- Net Price $9,831
University of South Carolina Aiken
- Public 4 Year
- Aiken, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
USC Aiken is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus is located in the smaller city of Aiken near the South Carolina-Georgia border.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $12,236
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Public 4 Year
- Tallahassee, FL
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
FAMU is a public HBCU known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and engineering. The campus is located in Florida's capital city of Tallahassee.
- SAT Range 1030-1180
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 21%
- Net Price $13,819
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Beckley, WV
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
WVU Tech is a public college known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in Beckley in the mountains of southern West Virginia.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $11,281
University of Central Arkansas
- Public 4 Year
- Conway, AR
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.
- SAT Range 910-1170
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $16,546
Louisiana State University Shreveport
- Public 4 Year
- Shreveport, LA
-
| 0 reviews
LSU Shreveport is a public university in the LSU system with undergraduate programs in business, education, and the sciences. The campus serves students across the Shreveport-Bossier region of northwest Louisiana.
- SAT Range 1000-1195
- Avg GPA 3.38
- Acceptance Rate 51%
- Net Price $7,287
Northern Kentucky University
- Public 4 Year
- Highland Heights, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
NKU is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus in Highland Heights sits just south of Cincinnati.
- SAT Range 953-1150
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $9,211
Francis Marion University
- Public 4 Year
- Florence, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Francis Marion is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The wooded campus sits on the edge of Florence.
- SAT Range 870-1115
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $11,727
Marshall University
- Public 4 Year
- Huntington, WV
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 10 application deadline
Marshall is a public university known for undergraduate forensic science, nursing, and business. The urban campus borders the Ohio River in Huntington.
- SAT Range 910-1150
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $8,076
University of Memphis
- Public 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
University of Memphis is a large public university known for undergraduate music, business, and journalism. The urban campus is in Midtown Memphis.
- SAT Range 915-1180
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $12,756
Eastern Kentucky University
- Public 4 Year
- Richmond, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
EKU is a public university known for undergraduate criminal justice, fire protection, and safety programs. The campus sits in the college town of Richmond in central Kentucky.
- SAT Range 880-1080
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $12,279
Jacksonville State University
- Public 4 Year
- Jacksonville, AL
-
| 0 reviews
Jacksonville State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small college town in the Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama.
- SAT Range 1000-1290
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $14,221
Shepherd University
- Public 4 Year
- Shepherdstown, WV
-
| 0 reviews
Shepherd is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The campus sits in historic Shepherdstown along the Potomac River.
- SAT Range 878-1140
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $11,744
Bowie State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bowie, MD
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
- May 15 application deadline
Bowie State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education and nursing. The suburban campus sits between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
- SAT Range 796-1083
- Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $17,287