by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Southeast Region Colleges ranking.
We analyzed 681 colleges and universities across the Southeast Region to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2025 rankings named Duke University the best school in the Southeast Region in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Duke is $97,800 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Vanderbilt University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Southeast Region .
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt make an average of $91,565 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 in the Southeast Region on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech make an average of $102,772 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Emory University. The school came in at #4 in the Southeast Region on this year’s overall quality ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Emory go into careers with an average salary of $80,137 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 89%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $86,863 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #6, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 85%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill go into careers with an average salary of $72,200 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Galen College of Nursing - Louisville ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Galen College of Nursing - Louisville is $61,480 during the early years of their career.
University of Florida ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $71,588 during the early years of their career..
Virginia Tech landed the #9 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech is $81,698 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #10, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UGA go into careers with an average salary of $68,726 during the early years of their career.
Wake Forest University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #11.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University go into careers with an average salary of $78,158 during the early years of their career.
Washington and Lee University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #12.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee make an average of $94,810 per year during the early years of their career.
Southern Regional Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Southwest Georgia Technical College make an average of $31,293 a year.
Savannah College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from SCAD is $45,954 during the early years of their career.
George Mason University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #15.
During the early years of their career, graduates from GMU make an average of $76,343 a year.
Tulane University of Louisiana ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 77%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Tulane go into careers with an average salary of $63,268 during the early years of their career.
SOWELA Technical Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #17.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from SOWELA make an average of $32,303 per year during the early years of their career.
University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #18.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UofSC is $62,177 during the early years of their career.
William & Mary came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from William & Mary make an average of $73,490 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #20, Columbia Southern University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $63,534 during the early years of their career..
Lanier Technical College landed the #21 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Lanier Technical College make an average of $37,623 a year.
With a ranking of #22, Florida State University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Florida State make an average of $61,675 per year during the early years of their career.
Oxford College of Emory University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Oxford College make an average of $80,137 per year during the early years of their career.
Medical University of South Carolina landed the #24 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $88,420 during the early years of their career..
North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #25.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $68,758 during the early years of their career..
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 20% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Colleges Nationwide >
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Athens Technical College | Athens, GA |
| 52 | American Public University System | Charles Town, WV |
| 53 | Belmont University | Nashville, TN |
| 54 | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR |
| 55 | Southern Adventist University | Collegedale, TN |
| 56 | Hillsborough Community College | Tampa, FL |
| 57 | Sampson Community College | Clinton, NC |
| 58 | Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth, FL |
| 59 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | Winston Salem, NC |
| 60 | Florida International University | Miami, FL |
| 61 | Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| 62 | Liberty University | Lynchburg, VA |
| 63 | East Carolina University | Greenville, NC |
| 64 | South College | Knoxville, TN |
| 65 | Herzing University - Birmingham | Birmingham, AL |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | South University, Tampa | Tampa, FL |
| 92 | John A Gupton College | Nashville, TN |
| 93 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 94 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston, SC |
| 95 | University of North Carolina at Wilmington | Wilmington, NC |
| 96 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY |
| 97 | Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers, FL |
| 98 | Georgia State University-Perimeter College | Atlanta, GA |
| 99 | Surry Community College | Dobson, NC |
| 100 | Santa Fe College | Gainesville, FL |
| 101 | Bishop State Community College | Mobile, AL |
| 102 | Marymount University | Arlington, VA |
| 103 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 104 | Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC |
| 105 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
| 106 | St Petersburg College | St. Petersburg, FL |
| 107 | Christopher Newport University | Newport News, VA |
| 108 | Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA |
| 109 | University of the Potomac - VA Campus | FALLS CHURCH, VA |
| 110 | Gaston College | Dallas, NC |
| 111 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV |
| 112 | Old Dominion University | Norfolk, VA |
| 113 | Herzing University - Winter Park | Winter Park, FL |
| 114 | Randolph Community College | Asheboro, NC |
| 115 | Union University | Jackson, TN |
| 116 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro, NC |
| 117 | University of Mississippi | University, MS |
| 118 | Shelton State Community College | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 119 | Eastern Florida State College | Melbourne, FL |
| 120 | Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas | De Queen, AR |
| 121 | Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC |
| 122 | Bryant & Stratton College - Virginia Beach | Virginia Beach, VA |
| 123 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, MS |
| 124 | Southern Crescent Technical College | Griffin, GA |
| 125 | Centre College | Danville, KY |
| 126 | Richmond Community College | Hamlet, NC |
| 127 | High Point University | High Point, NC |
| 128 | Lurleen B Wallace Community College | Andalusia, AL |
| 129 | South University, West Palm Beach | Royal Palm Beach, FL |
| 130 | Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, TN |
| 131 | South University’s online programs | Savannah, GA |
| 132 | Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences | Memphis, TN |
| 133 | Lenoir Community College | Kinston, NC |
| 134 | Indian River State College | Fort Pierce, FL |
| 135 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
| 136 | Furman University | Greenville, SC |
| 137 | Bevill State Community College | Jasper, AL |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.