by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Master's Degree Colleges in the Southeast Region ranking is part of that endeavor.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
Our analysis looked at 284 grad schools in the Southeast Region to determine which ones have the best master's degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a master's degree in the Southeast Region entered the job market making an average of $55,213 while those in the top 23 schools on our list made an average of $64,411.
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their master's degree. The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Our Best Master's Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.
If you plan to take your education even further, you may want to visit our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found Duke University to be the best grad school for master’s degrees in the Southeast Region in this year’s ranking. Located in Durham, North Carolina, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 3,059 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Duke is $76,664 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 #2 in the Southeast Region on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the large public school handed out 4,762 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Georgia Tech make an average of $85,207 a year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Emory University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Emory University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 1,573 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Emory make an average of $94,275 a year.
A rank of #4 on our Best Master’s Degree in the Southeast Region list means Vanderbilt University is a great place for students working on their degree. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 1,554 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Vanderbilt go into careers with an average salary of $82,140 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 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 2,170 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from University of Virginia make an average of $69,366 per year during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the large public school awarded 2,304 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill go into careers with an average salary of $62,070 during the early years of their career.
Learn More About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Florida landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,096 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UF make an average of $62,586 a year.
Virginia Tech ranked #8 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. This large public school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 1,429 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Virginia Tech make an average of $65,977 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Georgia came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Georgia is a large public school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 1,952 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from UGA make an average of $53,492 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Miami landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. U Miami is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Coral Gables, Florida. It awarded 1,715 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from U Miami make an average of $53,410 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, Tulane University of Louisiana did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Tulane University of Louisiana is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in New Orleans, Louisiana that handed out 1,651 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Tulane is $53,755 during the early years of their career.
George Mason University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, the large public school awarded 3,107 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from GMU make an average of $70,519 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, Columbia Southern University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Orange Beach, Alabama is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 2,073 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Columbia Southern University go into careers with an average salary of $62,616 during the early years of their career.
North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14. North Carolina State University is a large public school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 2,899 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from NC State make an average of $59,462 per year during the early years of their career.
Wake Forest University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,023 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Wake Forest University is $72,493 during the early years of their career.
Clemson University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Clemson, South Carolina, the large public school handed out 1,817 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Clemson go into careers with an average salary of $58,526 during the early years of their career.
Auburn University landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This large public school is located in Auburn, Alabama, and it awarded 1,295 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Auburn make an average of $58,279 a year.
With a ranking of #18, William & Mary did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 744 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from William & Mary is $59,000 during the early years of their career.
Columbia International University landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Columbia International University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Columbia, South Carolina that handed out 218 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Sewanee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sewanee, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Florida State University landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, the large public school handed out 2,407 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Florida State make an average of $50,951 a year.
The University of Alabama landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 1,859 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from UA make an average of $56,503 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Alabama at Birmingham ranked #23 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. University of Alabama at Birmingham is a large public school located in Birmingham, Alabama that handed out 2,433 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UAB is $58,175 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #24, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. UT Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 1,570 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UT Knoxville go into careers with an average salary of $55,130 during the early years of their career.
American Public University System ranked #25 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region list. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 2,833 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $60,867 during the early years of their career.
Not only did these schools make the top 43 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Master’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
These schools also performed well in our Best Master’s Degree Schools ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | William Carey University | Hattiesburg, MS |
| 45 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA |
| 46 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY |
| 47 | University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY |
| 48 | Mercer University | Macon, GA |
| 49 | Southern Adventist University | Collegedale, TN |
| 50 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
| 51 | University of South Florida - Main Campus | Tampa, FL |
| 52 | University of Mississippi | University, MS |
| 53 | Lipscomb University | Nashville, TN |
| 54 | Mississippi College | Clinton, MS |
| 55 | University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL |
| 56 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY |
| 57 | John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR |
More about our data sources and methodologies.