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2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

139 Ranked Colleges
36,271 Degrees Awarded
$6,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

With 205,984 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, social sciences is the 5th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,262 and had an average of $23,306 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 36,271 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,349 and $24,511 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 139 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social sciences 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 social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Duke University is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 530 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $371 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Duke Social Sciences Report

2
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 705 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $3,176 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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 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 Social Sciences Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington and Lee University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 138 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Washington and Lee also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $205 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington and Lee.

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%.

Full Washington and Lee Social Sciences Report

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 1,318 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also took the #9 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $65 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Florida.

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 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Florida

5

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences 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 #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 1,022 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $3,753 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 Social Sciences at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

6
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 289 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $10,401 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wake Forest University

7
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #7, William & Mary did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 440 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William & Mary, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $5,972 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend William & Mary.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full William & Mary Social Sciences Report

8
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #8, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 995 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $12,476 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Virginia

9
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,691 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $4,950 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Florida State

10

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 1,272 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, USF Tampa has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $4,176 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k 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.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Social Sciences Report

11
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 806 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $8,303 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UGA Social Sciences Report

12
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 458 students in 2020-2021.

Emory also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Emory University is $8,538 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Emory University

13
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 766 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,934 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Sciences at Virginia Tech

14

Florida International University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Florida International University is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 931 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $3,196 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, 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 91%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Florida International University

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 701 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $4,468 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at UCF

16
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

With a ranking of #16, University of Richmond did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. URichmond is located in University of Richmond, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 109 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

URichmond also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,010 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Richmond.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full URichmond Social Sciences Report

17

Citadel Military College of South Carolina ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Citadel Military College of South Carolina is a small school located in Charleston, South Carolina that handed out 60 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, The Citadel is also in the top of our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Citadel Military College of South Carolina is $7,451 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Citadel Military College of South Carolina Social Sciences Report

18

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 132 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Georgia Tech also took the #21 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Tech is $8,818 for Southeast Region Social Sciences 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 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Georgia Tech

19
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. NC State is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 448 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $7,283 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, 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 North Carolina State University Social Sciences Report

20

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a large public school situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It awarded 394 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Louisiana State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $11,318 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, 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 Social Sciences at Louisiana State University

21

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 434 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,433 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UT Knoxville.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, 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 89%.

Full UT Knoxville Social Sciences Report

22
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and it awarded 452 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,726 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida Atlantic University.

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 Florida Atlantic University Social Sciences Report

23
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 190 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UNF is $4,367 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UNF

24
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Appalachian State is a large public school situated in Boone, North Carolina. It awarded 285 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,354 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 more about Social Sciences at Appalachian State University

25

The University of West Florida came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The University of West Florida is a fairly large school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 133 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,288 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UWF.

Full The University of West Florida Social Sciences Report

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