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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies

11 Ranked Colleges
983 Degrees Awarded
$32,700 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 6,966 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 983 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,290 and $20,478 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent area studies programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the area studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies”.

Top 11 Best Area Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Southeast Region

1

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 221 students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNC Chapel Hill]](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/student-life/veterans/)

2
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies list. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 8,939 students enrolled at William & Mary, 531 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 349 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,978. In addition to receiving other benefits, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. William & Mary does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full William & Mary Veteran Student Life Report

3
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies 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 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region vets studying area studies list, UF has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 53,372 students enrolled at University of Florida were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Florida does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies list. VCU is a large school located in Richmond, Virginia that handed out 60 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at VCU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 29,070 students enrolled at VCU were GI Bill® students, of which 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,085. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Virginia Commonwealth University]](/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university/student-life/veterans/)

5
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Florida State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State, 8 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,819. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Florida State]](/colleges/florida-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

6
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies ranking. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 55 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 16,172 students enrolled at Duke University, 36 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,387. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Duke]](/colleges/duke-university/student-life/veterans/)

7
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, University of Virginia - Main Campus supports 25,628 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Virginia]](/colleges/university-of-virginia-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

8
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies ranking, coming in at #8. University of Louisville is a large public school situated in Louisville, Kentucky. It awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region vets studying area studies list, UofL has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 22,211 students enrolled at UofL, 17 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $25,972. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full UofL Veteran Student Life Report

9

University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 1,476 of the 30,146 students enrolled at UNC Charlotte were GI Bill® students, of which 642 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,691. During this same period, 13 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Read More…

10
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

University of Richmond did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies ranking, coming in at #10. University of Richmond is a private not-for-profit institution located in University of Richmond, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

URichmond did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 51 of the 4,056 students enrolled at URichmond were GI Bill® students, of which 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,556. To help with additional expenses, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 University of Richmond Veteran Student Life Report

11
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Southeast Region for Area Studies ranking. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 13,997 students enrolled at Emory were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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