College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for General Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

79 Ranked Colleges
4,037 Degrees Awarded
$9,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Education is the 31st most popular major in the country with 29,810 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Southeast region, there were 4,037 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 79 colleges that offer a degree in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More General Education Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

UF also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $2,857 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Education at University of Florida

2
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 11 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,652 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Vanderbilt University General Education Report

3

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 22 degrees to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $5,729 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UNC Chapel Hill

4

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Central Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 82 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCF, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $6,256 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCF.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 General Education at University of Central Florida

5
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 159 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k list, University of Virginia has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,063 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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.

Read full report on General Education at University of Virginia

6
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #6, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,448 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read full report on General Education at North Carolina State University

7
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,688 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UGA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Education at University of Georgia

8
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #8, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. FAU is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 61 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FAU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend FAU is $8,262 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full FAU General Education Report

9

Florida Gulf Coast University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fort Myers, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

FGCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,969 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend FGCU.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 full report on General Education at Florida Gulf Coast University

10
Berea crest
Berea College
Berea, Kentucky

With a ranking of #10, Berea College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Berea is located in Berea, Kentucky and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Berea College is $5,313 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Berea General Education Report

11
Marshall University crest
Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

Marshall University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Huntington, West Virginia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,254 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Marshall University.

Read more about General Education at Marshall University

12

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 3 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,632 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 more about General Education at USF Tampa

13
Bob Jones University crest
Bob Jones University
Greenville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #13, Bob Jones University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Greenville, South Carolina, and it awarded 19 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Bob Jones University also took the #18 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bob Jones University is $11,346 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at Bob Jones University

14
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. NKU is a fairly large public school situated in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It awarded 5 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,947 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NKU.

Full NKU General Education Report

15
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Morgantown, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k list, WVU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend West Virginia University is $10,250 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Education at WVU

16

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a public institution located in Perkinston, Mississippi. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 110 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,941 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Full Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College General Education Report

17
Augusta University crest
Augusta University
Augusta, Georgia

Augusta University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Augusta University is a public institution located in Augusta, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 30 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Augusta University is $10,221 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Augusta University

18
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Clemson is a large public school situated in Clemson, South Carolina. It awarded 153 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Clemson also made our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $16,650 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Clemson.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Clemson University General Education Report

19

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 35 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville also made our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for UT Knoxville is $13,970 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UT Knoxville General Education Report

20
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #20, James Madison University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 295 students in 2020-2021.

JMU also made our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend James Madison University is $14,985 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 JMU General Education Report

21
Shepherd University crest
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Shepherd University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Shepherd University is a small school located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia that handed out 12 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,126 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Shepherd University.

Read full report on General Education at Shepherd University

22
Ole Miss crest
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi

University of Mississippi came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ole Miss is a large school located in University, Mississippi that handed out 27 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,489 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ole Miss.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ole Miss General Education Report

23

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Louisiana State University is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 77 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Louisiana State University also took the #21 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $15,403 for southeast region general education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Louisiana State University General Education Report

24
Fairmont State crest
Fairmont State University
Fairmont, West Virginia

With a ranking of #24, Fairmont State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fairmont State University is a small public school situated in Fairmont, West Virginia. It awarded 32 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Fairmont State is $9,871 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Fairmont State University General Education Report

25
UARK crest
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #25, University of Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it awarded 24 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Arkansas is $13,690 for Southeast Region General Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Education at University of Arkansas

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options