2023 Best Value Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
89
Ranked Colleges
6,166
Degrees Awarded
$6,600
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
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.
This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 89 colleges that offered a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 For Those Making $0-$30k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 256 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.
Duke also took the #1 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $371 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Duke.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Economics at Duke
Out of the 89 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #2 spot on the list. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 272 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.
Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $3,176 for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Economics at Vanderbilt
Out of the 89 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #3 spot on the list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 419 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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.
Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Economics Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 330 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
UF also made our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $65 for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.
Read more about Economics at UF
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington and Lee University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington and Lee is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 63 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
Washington and Lee also took the #10 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Washington and Lee is $205 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Economics at Washington and Lee University
Wake Forest University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 117 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wake Forest University, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,401 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, 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 95%.
Read full report on Economics at Wake Forest University
University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 528 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Virginia has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia - Main Campus is $12,476 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 University of Virginia - Main Campus Economics Report
William & Mary landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 127 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.
William & Mary also made our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $5,972 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 93%.
Read full report on Economics at William & Mary
Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 295 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Florida State has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $4,950 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 Economics at Florida State University
Emory University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 167 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $8,538 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at Emory
University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school handed out 195 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USF Tampa, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,176 for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at USF Tampa
University of Richmond ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. 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 47 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
URichmond not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,010 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend URichmond.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Economics at University of Richmond
Virginia Tech ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 102 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,934 for southeast region economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgia Tech is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 77 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
Georgia Tech also took the #14 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $8,818 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read full report on Economics at Georgia Tech
Florida International University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida International University is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $3,196 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FIU.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 FIU
With a ranking of #16, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $7,283 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Economics at NC State
With a ranking of #17, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Georgia is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 81 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UGA is $8,303 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Read full report on Economics at University of Georgia
With a ranking of #18, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $4,468 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Central Florida.
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 more about Economics at University of Central Florida
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this large public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana State University is $11,318 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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.
Read full report on Economics at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UT Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 53 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Knoxville, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,433 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Knoxville.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Economics at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Appalachian State is a large school located in Boone, North Carolina that handed out 38 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $7,354 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Economics at Appalachian State
Florida Atlantic University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. FAU is a large school located in Boca Raton, Florida that handed out 71 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $6,726 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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
University of North Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, this fairly large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $4,367 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Florida.
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 UNF
The University of West Florida landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 11 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for The University of West Florida is $4,288 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Economics at The University of West Florida
Clemson University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Clemson, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 145 students in 2020-2021.
Clemson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Economics Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Clemson University is $13,744 for Southeast Region Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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%.
Read more about Economics at Clemson University
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