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2023 Best Value Colleges for Economics in the Southeast Region

89 Ranked Colleges
6,166 Degrees Awarded
$13,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 49,055 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $48,736 and had an average of $22,046 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 6,166 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,738 and $21,917 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 89 colleges that offer a degree in economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality economics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the economics program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region economics students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Economics in the Southeast Region

1
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 295 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $9,946 for Southeast Region Economics students.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Florida State University Economics Report

2

Out of the 89 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 195 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,346 for Southeast Region Economics students per year to attend USF Tampa.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at University of South Florida - Main Campus

3
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 89 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 330 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $5,135 for Southeast Region Economics students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UF Economics Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida International University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 160 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,298 for Southeast Region Economics students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Florida International University

5
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Out of the 89 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the #5 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 102 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,301 for southeast region economics students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Virginia Tech

6
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East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. East Carolina University is a public institution located in Greenville, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 101 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend East Carolina University is $16,550 for Southeast Region Economics students.

Read full report on Economics at East Carolina University

7

University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #7. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public institution located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UNC Charlotte is $17,634 for Southeast Region Economics students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Economics at UNC Charlotte

8

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 419 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $12,469 for southeast region economics students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

9
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University of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

With a ranking of #9, University of Memphis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UofM is $13,904 for southeast region economics students.

Read more about Economics at University of Memphis

10
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #10, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Appalachian State University is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,989 for Southeast Region Economics students per year to attend Appalachian State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Appalachian State Economics Report

11
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Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #11, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $10,735 for southeast region economics students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full FAU Economics Report

12
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. James Madison University is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

JMU also took the #21 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for JMU is $22,562 for southeast region economics students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Economics at JMU

13
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Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia Southern University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Statesboro, Georgia, this large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for GaSou is $15,571 for southeast region economics students.

Read full report on Economics at GaSou

14
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University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, this large public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Arkansas is $16,507 for southeast region economics students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at UARK

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 49 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,618 for Southeast Region Economics students per year to attend UCF.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at UCF

16
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Mississippi State is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Mississippi State University is $16,122 for southeast region economics students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Economics at Mississippi State University

17

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 77 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Tech is $14,974 for southeast region economics students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Economics Report

18
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #18, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. UNF is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 19 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $8,865 for southeast region economics students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at University of North Florida

19

University of Central Arkansas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Conway, Arkansas, this fairly large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Arkansas is $16,554 for southeast region economics students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at UCA

20
WKU crest
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Western Kentucky University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. Western Kentucky University is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Western Kentucky University is $12,522 for southeast region economics students.

Read more about Economics at Western Kentucky University

21
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #21, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 42 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $16,411 for southeast region economics students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full NC State Economics Report

22
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 81 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UGA is $14,257 for Southeast Region Economics students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Georgia Economics Report

23
University of West Georgia crest
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia

University of West Georgia came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Carrollton, Georgia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of West Georgia is $16,588 for southeast region economics students.

Read more about Economics at University of West Georgia

24
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #24. Georgia State is a public institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 166 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,242 for southeast region economics students per year to attend Georgia State.

Read more about Economics at Georgia State University

25

University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #25. UNC Greensboro is a fairly large school located in Greensboro, North Carolina that handed out 26 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,629 for Southeast Region Economics students per year to attend University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Read more about Economics at University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Notes and References

References

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