The 16 SEC Schools

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By
Allen Grove
Allen Grove
College Admissions Expert
  • Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
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Updated on May 30, 2024

The NCAA Southeastern Conference (SEC) is considered by many to be among the strongest Division I athletic conferences in the country. The member universities, however, are much more than athletic powerhouses. These 16 comprehensive universities also offer impressive academic opportunities.

If you're interested in attending one of these schools, keep in mind that admissions criteria vary widely from an extremely selective school such as Vanderbilt University to less selective schools like Mississippi State University. All member schools, however, will be looking for students who have grades and standardized test scores that fall within their usual averages.

The conference supports 21 sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, equestrian, football, men's and women's golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and volleyball.

History of the SEC

The SEC was first formed in 1933 with 13 members: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt. Sewanee, Georgia Tech, and Tulane withdrew between 1940 and 1966; however, the remaining ten schools are all still members, representing a level of stability that is highly unusual among athletic conferences.

The SEC has added members three times, including Arkansas and South Carolina in 1991 and Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012. In 2021, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas accepted invitations to join the conference, beginning on July 1, 2024.

01
of 16

Auburn University

Auburn University
Robert S. Donovan / Flickr

Located in the small town of Auburn, Alabama, Auburn University frequently ranks among the top 50 public universities in the country. Particular strengths include engineering, journalism, math, and many of the sciences.

  • Location: Auburn, Alabama
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 33,015 (26,874 undergraduates)
  • Team: Tigers
02
of 16

Louisiana State University (LSU)

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge Louisiana LA

Kruck20 / iStock / Getty Images

LSU, the main campus of the Louisiana university system, is well known for its Italian Renaissance architecture, red roofs, and abundant oak trees. Louisiana has lower tuition than most states, so education is a true value.

  • Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 39,419 (32,666 undergraduates)
  • Team: Fighting Tigers
03
of 16

Mississippi State University

South Carolina v Mississippi State
Wesley Hitt / Getty Images

The main campus of Mississippi State University sits on over 4,000 acres in the northeastern part of the state. High-achieving students should check out the Shackouls Honors College.

  • Location: Starkville, Mississippi
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 22,657 (18,230 undergraduates)
  • Team: Bulldogs
04
of 16

Texas A&M

Kyle Field at Texas A&M
Stuart Seeger / Flickr

Texas A&M is far more than an agricultural and mechanical college these days. It is a huge, comprehensive university where business, humanities, engineering, social science, and the sciences are all extremely popular with undergraduates.

  • Location: College Station, Texas
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 77,491 (60,729 undergraduates)
  • Team: Aggies
05
of 16

University of Alabama ('Bama)

The University of Alabama campus in the spring surrounded by blooming trees

sshepard / iStock / Getty Images

The University of Alabama frequently ranks among the top 50 public universities in the country. Business is particularly popular among undergraduates, and strong students should definitely check out the Honors College.

  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 39,623 (33,436 undergraduates)
  • Team: Crimson Tide
06
of 16

University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas Old Main
Mike Norton / Flickr

The flagship campus of Arkansas' university system, the University of Arkansas can boast of high-level research and a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences.

  • Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 32,140 (27,472 undergraduates)
  • Team: Razorbacks
07
of 16

University of Florida

Auditorium and Century Tower at the University of Florida
irinka-s / Getty Images

With over 51,000 students (graduate and undergraduate), the University of Florida is one of the largest schools in the country. Preprofessional programs such as business, engineering, and the health sciences are particularly popular.

  • Location: Gainesville, Florida
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 60,567 (39,908 undergraduates)
  • Team: Gators
  • Explore the Campus: University of Florida Photo Tour
08
of 16

University of Georgia

University of Georgia Consumer Science Building
University of Georgia Consumer Science Building.

David Torcivia / Flickr /  CC BY 2.0

The University of Georgia has the distinction of being the oldest state-chartered university in the United States. For the student who wants small, challenging classes, be sure to check out the Honors Program.

  • Location: Athens, Georgia
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 40,118 (30,166 undergraduates)
  • Team: Bulldogs
09
of 16

University of Kentucky

Young Library at the University of Kentucky
J654567 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

The University of Kentucky is the flagship campus of the state's university system. Look for particular strengths in the Colleges of Business, Medicine, and Communication Studies.

  • Location: Lexington, Kentucky
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 33,885 (23,971 undergraduates)
  • Team: Wildcats
10
of 16

University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)

University of Mississippi
Southern Foodways Alliance / Flickr

The largest university in Mississippi, Ole Miss can boast of 30 research centers, a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and an honors college for high-achieving students.

  • Location: Oxford, Mississippi
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 21,596 (18,533 undergraduates)
  • Team: Rebels
11
of 16

University of Missouri

Jesse Hall at the University of Missouri
bk1bennett / Flickr

The University of Missouri at Columbia, or Mizzou, is the flagship campus of Missouri's university system. It is also the largest university in the state. The school features many excellent research centers and a strong Greek system.

  • Location: Columbia, Missouri
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 31,041 (23,629 undergraduates)
  • Team: Tigers
12
of 16

University of Oklahoma

Bizzell Library at the University of Oklahoma
Bizzell Library at the University of Oklahoma. tylerphotos / Flickr

One of the newest SEC schools, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university founded in 1890. Its combination of high-quality academics and student life for low state tuition has earned it high rankings for value.

  • Location: Norman, Oklahoma
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 32,676 (23,156 undergraduates)
  • Team: Sooners
13
of 16

University of South Carolina

Residence Hall at the University of South Carolina
Florencebballer / Wikimedia Commons

Located in the state capital, USC is the flagship campus of the South Carolina university system. The university has strong academic programs and can boast of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a nationally respected honors college, and pioneering work in its programming for first-year students.

  • Location: Columbia, South Carolina
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 36,548 (28,451 undergraduates)
  • Team: Gamecocks
14
of 16

University of Tennessee

University of Tennessee Football
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District / Flickr

The flagship campus of Tennessee's university system, UT Knoxville features high-level research and academics. The university has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and its business school frequently does well in national rankings.

  • Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 36,304 (28,883 undergraduates)
  • Team: Volunteers
15
of 16

University of Texas

University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin. Amy Jacobson

Founded in 1883, the University of Texas at Austin is also one of the SEC's newest conference members. The flagship of the University of Texas system consistently ranks among the nation's top public schools and offers over 150 undergraduate degree programs.

  • Location: Austin, Texas
  • School type: Public
  • Enrollment: 51,913 (42,444 undergraduates)
  • Team: Longhorns
16
of 16

Vanderbilt University

Tolman Hall at Vanderbilt University
Photo Credit: Amy Jacobson

Vanderbilt University is the only private university in the SEC, and it is also the smallest and most selective school in the conference. The university has particular strengths in education, law, medicine, and business.

  • Location: Nashville, Tennessee
  • School type: Private
  • Enrollment: 13,710 (7,151 undergraduates)
  • Team: Commodores
View Article Sources

  1. SEC Sports. "About the SEC Network."

  2. SEC Sports. "SEC History."

  3. SEC Sports. "SEC Network welcomes Texas & Oklahoma with on-site programming."

  4. SEC Sports. "SEC grants membership to Oklahoma, Texas."

  5. Auburn University. "Factbook - Enrollment."

  6. Louisiana State University. "Fall 2023 Student Enrollment Highlights."

  7. Mississippi State University. "Fall 2023 Pocket Factbook," Page 10.

  8. Texas A&M. "Texas A&M University Facts."

  9. The University of Alabama. "Students by Level and Classification."

  10. University of Arkansas. "Fall 2023 11th Day Enrollment Report."

  11. University of Florida. "University of Florida Institutional Profile."

  12. University of Georgia. "Admissions Statistics."

  13. University of Kentucky. "Enrollment & Demographics."

  14. The University of Mississippi. "Fall 2023-2024 Enrollment."

  15. University of Missouri. "Student Enrollment."

  16. University of Oklahoma. "Enrollment Summary Report," Page 3.

  17. University of South Carolina. "Student Headcount / FTE Report."

  18. University of Tennessee. "Quick Facts: UT At A Glance."

  19. Vanderbilt University. "Quick Facts."

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Grove, Allen. "The 16 SEC Schools." ThoughtCo, May. 30, 2024, thoughtco.com/universities-in-southeastern-conference-787012. Grove, Allen. (2024, May 30). The 16 SEC Schools. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/universities-in-southeastern-conference-787012 Grove, Allen. "The 16 SEC Schools." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/universities-in-southeastern-conference-787012 (accessed April 1, 2025).