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2023 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

139 Ranked Colleges
36,271 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 205,984 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. 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.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 139 colleges that offer 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 530 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Duke also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $7,160 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Duke University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Duke University

2
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k 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 705 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $7,694 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at Vanderbilt

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington and Lee University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 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 $6,505 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Washington and Lee.

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 0.4%, 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.

Full Washington and Lee Social Sciences Report

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 1,318 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $8,394 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read more about Social Sciences at UF

5

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #5 spot on the list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 1,022 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 Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $11,619 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Social Sciences Report

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Wake Forest University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 289 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Wake Forest University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wake Forest University is $10,228 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wake Forest University

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

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school handed out 995 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia - Main Campus is $16,019 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 full report on Social Sciences at University of Virginia

8
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #8, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida State is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 1,691 ’s social sciences 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 $11,506 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Florida State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Florida State University Social Sciences Report

9
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 440 students in 2020-2021.

William & Mary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,995 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend William & Mary.

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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Sciences at William & Mary

10

With a ranking of #10, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. 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 $48-$75k list, USF Tampa has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of South Florida - Main Campus is $9,669 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at USF Tampa

11

Florida International University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 931 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $7,292 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full FIU Social Sciences Report

12
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

University of Richmond ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 109 students in 2020-2021.

URichmond also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for University of Richmond is $16,063 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 URichmond Social Sciences Report

13
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Charles Town, West Virginia, and it awarded 201 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend American Military University is $13,536 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Sciences at American Military University

14
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Athens, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 806 students in 2020-2021.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Georgia is $15,037 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UGA Social Sciences Report

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 $48-$75k list. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school handed out 701 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,426 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k 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 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Central Florida

16
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Virginia Military Institute landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Virginia Military Institute is a public institution located in Lexington, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 104 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Military Institute is $13,613 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Virginia Military Institute

17
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k 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 estimated yearly cost for Emory is $16,646 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. 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 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 Emory University

18

The University of West Florida came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Pensacola, Florida, and it awarded 133 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UWF is $7,301 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Sciences at The University of West Florida

19
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 766 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $18,372 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Social Sciences Report

20

With a ranking of #20, Northern Virginia Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northern Virginia Community College is a public institution located in Annandale, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 524 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Virginia Community College is $10,721 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northern Virginia Community College

21

With a ranking of #21, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 132 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $15,415 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.

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%. 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 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Social Sciences Report

22
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

University of North Florida ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Jacksonville, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 190 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of North Florida is $10,194 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full University of North Florida Social Sciences Report

23
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 452 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Florida Atlantic University is $12,323 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Social Sciences at Florida Atlantic University

24
Fayetteville State University crest
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Fayetteville, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 70 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Fayetteville State University is $10,116 for Southeast Region Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Fayetteville State University Social Sciences Report

25
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 448 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $14,424 for southeast region social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 94%.

Read more about Social Sciences at North Carolina State University

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