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Best Colleges in the South

The South is increasingly making its mark on the American university system, with many schools – most notably in Florida – offering innovative approaches to higher education at affordable prices.

Students in the South can get tuition discounts at a wide range of top Southern universities thanks to tuition reciprocity agreements. Check out the Southern Regional Education Board’s website to see if you are eligible for an out-of-state tuition waiver at a public university in a nearby state.

Education should provide a strong return on investment. Following this guiding principle, we have ranked the best Southern colleges based on their economic value. To learn more about how we rank colleges, check out our Methodology page.

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#1 in Southern colleges

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Economic score 0.50

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $5,135

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $64,463

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 88%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#2 in Southern colleges
Economic score 0.75

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $5,298

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $54,501

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 70%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#3 in Southern colleges
Economic score 0.94

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $14,974

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $88,196

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 91%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#4 in Southern colleges
Economic score 0.98

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,908

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $46,823

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 55%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#5 in Southern colleges

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Economic score 0.99

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,076

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $77,683

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 92%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#6 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.01

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,743

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $45,895

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 56%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#7 in Southern colleges

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

Economic score 1.05

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $19,970

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $79,872

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 93%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#8 in Southern colleges

Valencia College

Orlando, Florida

Economic score 1.09

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $5,354

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $38,070

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 52%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#9 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.10

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $8,937

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $57,989

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 64%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#10 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.15

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,175

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $86,020

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#11 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.17

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $12,469

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $61,915

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 91%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#12 in Southern colleges

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Economic score 1.31

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $9,946

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $53,449

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 83%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#13 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.35

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $8,346

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $50,262

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 76%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#14 in Southern colleges

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina

Economic score 1.35

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $32,459

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $93,115

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 95%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#15 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.37

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $8,618

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $51,912

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 76%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#16 in Southern colleges

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia

Economic score 1.41

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $22,006

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $77,048

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#17 in Southern colleges

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Economic score 1.52

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $8,865

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $49,338

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 69%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#18 in Southern colleges
Economic score 1.52

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $4,005

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $35,534

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 53%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#19 in Southern colleges

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

Economic score 1.54

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $14,257

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $59,769

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 87%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

#20 in Southern colleges

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia

Economic score 1.55

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $22,597

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $72,364

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 92%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not  displayed.

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