by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard. This list is proof that you shouldn't avoid normally high-priced schools, since the actual price may be very affordable if you qualify for financial aid.
In This Year's Value Report:
We analyzed 664 schools across the Southeast Region to determine which have the best value programs. Our ranking for the best value schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $48-$75k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Duke University the best value (income $48-$75k) school in the Southeast Region . Located in Durham, North Carolina, the school is a fairly large private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Duke University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,304.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list means Vanderbilt University is a great place for students working on their degree. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee.
Vanderbilt University has the honor of being ranked #1 in Tennessee for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $9,117.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list means Washington and Lee University is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Lexington, Virginia, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
Washington and Lee University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,132.
Out of the 664 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Gainesville, Florida.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Florida is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Florida. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,590.
The quality degree programs at Southern Regional Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region. Southwest Georgia Technical College is a small public school situated in Thomasville, Georgia.
Southern Regional Technical College has the honor of being ranked #16 in Georgia for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Learn More About Value at Southern Regional Technical College
Cleveland Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Shelby, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Cleveland Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,056.
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Georgia. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $14,821.
Learn More About Value at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Florida International University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, the school is a large public institution.
Florida International University has the honor of being ranked #5 in Florida for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $8,283.
With a ranking of #9, Central Georgia Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. CGTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Warner Robins, Georgia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central Georgia Technical College is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Georgia. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,585.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Not only is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,477.
Learn More About Value at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
With a ranking of #11, Wake Forest University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Wake Forest University is ranked #4 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $10,029.
With a ranking of #12, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. This large public school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Not only is University of Virginia - Main Campus a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Virginia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $14,589.
Learn More About Value at University of Virginia - Main Campus
Trident Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #13. Trident Technical College is a fairly large public school situated in Charleston, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Trident Technical College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,978.
With a ranking of #14, Florida State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Florida State University has the honor of being ranked #2 in Florida for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,733.
Wallace Community College, Dothan did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #15. Wallace, Dothan is a public institution located in Dothan, Alabama.
Wallace Community College, Dothan has the honor of being ranked #11 in Alabama for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $2,477.
Durham Technical Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. Durham Technical Community College is a small public school located in Durham, North Carolina.
Not only is Durham Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #22 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $3,024.
Read full value report on Durham Technical Community College
University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Tampa, Florida, the school is a large public institution.
University of South Florida - Main Campus has the honor of being ranked #7 in Florida for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,050.
Learn More About Value at University of South Florida - Main Campus
William & Mary came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
William & Mary has the honor of being ranked #5 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,665.
With a ranking of #19, Emory University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Emory University a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Georgia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $15,486.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Rome, Georgia.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College has the honor of being ranked #14 in Georgia for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,596.
Learn More About Value at Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Hillsborough Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region list. HCC is located in Tampa, Florida and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Hillsborough Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #18 in Florida for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,432.
Coastal Pines Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #22. Waycross, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,144.
University of Central Florida came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. UCF is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Central Florida is ranked #6 for quality in the state of Florida. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,032.
Wake Technical Community College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Wake Technical Community College is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Wake Technical Community College has the honor of being ranked #12 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,875.
Ogeechee Technical College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking. Statesboro, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Ogeechee Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Georgia for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $7,060.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Value
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA | Value Report |
| 52 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide | Daytona Beach, FL | Value Report |
| 53 | Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem, NC | Value Report |
| 54 | Athens Technical College | Athens, GA | Value Report |
| 55 | Lenoir Community College | Kinston, NC | Value Report |
| 56 | Indian River State College | Fort Pierce, FL | Value Report |
| 57 | Wayne Community College | Goldsboro, NC | Value Report |
| 58 | Northern Virginia Community College | Annandale, VA | Value Report |
| 59 | Pensacola State College | Pensacola, FL | Value Report |
| 60 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL | Value Report |
| 61 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | Winston Salem, NC | Value Report |
| 62 | Southwest Mississippi Community College | Summit, MS | Value Report |
| 63 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA | Value Report |
| 64 | Greenville Technical College | Greenville, SC | Value Report |
| 65 | Florida Gateway College | Lake City, FL | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Gulf Coast State College | Panama City, FL | Value Report |
| 92 | Wallace Community College, Selma | Selma, AL | Value Report |
| 93 | Mitchell Community College | Statesville, NC | Value Report |
| 94 | Arkansas Northeastern College | Blytheville, AR | Value Report |
| 95 | Marshall University | Huntington, WV | Value Report |
| 96 | Roane State Community College | Harriman, TN | Value Report |
| 97 | Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences | Memphis, TN | Value Report |
| 97 | Jackson State Community College | Jackson, TN | Value Report |
| 99 | North Florida College | Madison, FL | Value Report |
| 100 | John C Calhoun State Community College | Tanner, AL | Value Report |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Patrick Henry Community College | Martinsville, VA | Value Report |
| 101 | Midlands Technical College | West Columbia, SC | Value Report |
| 103 | South Piedmont Community College | Polkton, NC | Value Report |
| 104 | Delgado Community College | New Orleans, LA | Value Report |
| 105 | Wilkes Community College | Wilkesboro, NC | Value Report |
| 106 | Southwest Tennessee Community College | Memphis, TN | Value Report |
| 107 | Reynolds Community College | Richmond, VA | Value Report |
| 108 | Chipola College | Marianna, FL | Value Report |
| 109 | Chattahoochee Valley Community College | Phenix City, AL | Value Report |
| 110 | Itawamba Community College | Fulton, MS | Value Report |
| 111 | Northwest-Shoals Community College | Muscle Shoals, AL | Value Report |
| 112 | The University of West Florida | Pensacola, FL | Value Report |
| 113 | North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville, GA | Value Report |
| 114 | Georgia State University-Perimeter College | Atlanta, GA | Value Report |
| 115 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
