Top Colleges and Universities in the Southeast

The southeastern United States has some excellent colleges and universities, and my top picks range from small liberal arts colleges to giant state universities. UNC Chapel Hill, Virginia Tech, William and Mary, and the University of Virginia frequently appear among the country's top 10 public universities, and Duke is one of the nation's top private universities. The colleges and universities below were selected based on factors such as retention rates, graduation rates, student engagement, selectivity, and overall value. I have listed the schools alphabetically to avoid the often arbitrary distinctions that separate #1 from #2, and because of the futility of comparing a large research university to a small liberal arts college.

The colleges and universities in the list below were selected from the South Atlantic region of the United States: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Agnes Scott College

Location: Decatur, Georgia
Enrollment: 927 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private women's liberal arts college
Distinctions: One of the country's top women's colleges; excellent value; 9 to 1 student/faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; easy access to Atlanta; attractive campus
For more information and admissions data, visit the Agnes Scott College profile

Clemson University

Location: Clemson, South Carolina
Enrollment: 23,406 (18,599 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the country's best public universities; good value; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; attractive location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains; highly regarded business and engineering programs; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Clemson University profile

College of William and Mary

Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
Enrollment: 8,617 (6,276 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the country's top public universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; second oldest institution of higher learning in the country (founded in 1693); member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association
For more information and admissions data, visit the College of William and Mary profile

Davidson College

Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Enrollment: 1,796 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; one of the country's top liberal arts colleges; founded in 1837; honor code allows for self-scheduled exams; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Davidson College profile

Duke University

Location: Durham, North Carolina
Enrollment: 15,735 (6,609 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: One of the country's top ten universities; part of the "research triangle" with UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Duke University profile

Elon University

Location: Elon, North Carolina
Enrollment: 6,739 (6,008 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: High level of student engagement; strong programs for study abroad, internships, and volunteer work; popular pre-professional programs in business and communications; attractive red-brick campus; member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)
For more information and admissions data, visit the Elon University profile

Emory University

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Enrollment: 14,067 (6,861 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; multi-billion dollar endowment; one of the country's best universities; home to one of the top ten business schools
For more information and admissions data, visit the Emory University profile

Florida State University (FSU)

Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Enrollment: 41,173 (32,933 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the flagship campuses of Florida's state university system; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; active fraternity and sorority system; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Florida State University profile

Furman University

Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Enrollment: 3,003 (2,797 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: liberal arts college
Readers share their impressions of Furman
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; high level of student engagement; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Southern Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Furman University profile

Georgia Tech

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Enrollment: 26,839 (15,489 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university with engineering focus
Distinctions: One of the country's top public universities; one of the top engineering schools; excellent value; urban campus; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Georgia Tech profile

Hampden-Sydney College

Location: Hampden-Sydney, Virginia
Enrollment: 1,027 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private men's liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; 10th oldest college in the United States (founded in 1775); attractive 1,340-acre campus; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; one of the few all-male colleges in the country
For more information and admissions data, visit the Hampden-Sydney College profile

James Madison University

Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Enrollment: 21,270 (19,548 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: High rankings for value and academic quality; attractive campus features an open quad, lake, and arboretum; member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association and Eastern College Athletic Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the James Madison University profile

New College of Florida

Location: Sarasota, Florida
Enrollment: 875 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: public liberal arts college
Distinctions: One of the top public liberal arts colleges; oceanfront campus; student-centered curriculum has no traditional majors and emphasizes independent study; students receive written evaluations rather than grades; good value
Explore Campus: New College photo tour
For more information and admissions data, visit the New College of Florida profile

North Carolina State University Raleigh

NC State University Football. opus2008 / Flickr

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Enrollment: 33,755 (23,827 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Largest university in North Carolina; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; strong science and engineering programs; founding member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the NC State profile

Rollins College

Location: Winter Park, Florida
Enrollment: 3,240 (2,642 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; highly ranked masters level university in the South; attractive 70-acre campus on the shores of Lake Virginia; strong commitment to international learning; member of the NCAA Division II Sunshine State Conference
Explore the Campus: Rollins College photo tour
For more information and admissions data, visit the Rollins Colleges profile

Spelman College

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Enrollment: 2,125 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private all-female historically Black liberal arts college
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; one of the country's top women's colleges; highly ranked school for promoting social mobility; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
For more information and admissions data, visit the Spelman College profile

University of Florida

Location: Gainesville, Florida
Explore the Campus: University of Florida Photo Tour
Enrollment: 52,367 (34,554 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; strong pre-professional fields such as business, engineering and the health sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference
Explore the Campus: University of Florida Photo Tour
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Florida profile

University of Georgia

Location: Athens, Georgia
Enrollment: 36,574 (27,951 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Rich history dating back to 1785; well-respected Honors Program for high-achieving students; appealing college town location; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Georgia profile

University of Mary Washington

Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Enrollment: 4,726 (4,357 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public liberal arts college
Distinctions: One of the top public liberal arts colleges; highly ranked for its quality and value; attractive 176-acre campus with Jeffersonian architecture; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Mary Washington profile

University of Miami

Location: Coral Gables, Florida
Enrollment: 16,744 (10,792 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: Well-regarded program in Marine Biology; popular business and nursing programs; diverse student population; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Miami profile

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill - Old Well. Seth Ilys / Wikimedia Commons

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Enrollment: 29,468 (18,522 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the country's top public universities; home to one of the top undergraduate business schools; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the UNC Chapel Hill profile

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Enrollment: 15,740 (13,914 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Strong professional programs in business, education, communications and nursing; excellent value; located just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean; member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association
For more information and admissions data, visit the UNC Wilmington profile

University of Richmond

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Enrollment: 4,131 (3,326 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: 8 to 1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 16; strong study abroad program; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; well-regarded undergraduate business programs
Explore the Campus: University of Richmond Photo Tour
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Richmond profile

University of South Carolina

Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Enrollment: 34,099 (25,556 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: Flagship campus of the South Carolina university system; 350 degree programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; nationally known and pioneering program for first-year students; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of South Carolina profile

University of Virginia

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Enrollment: 23,898 (16,331 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: One of the top public universities; largest endowment of any public university; member of the Association of American Universities for research strengths; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
Explore the Campus: University of Virginia Photo Tour
For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Virginia profile

Virginia Military Institute

Location: Lexington, Virginia
Enrollment: 1,713 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: public military college
Distinctions: Oldest public military college in the U.S.; disciplined and demanding college environment; strong engineering programs; member of the NCAA Division I Big South Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Virginia Military Institute profile

Virginia Tech

Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Enrollment: 33,170 (25,791 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university and senior military college
Distinctions: One of the country's top public universities; one of the top engineering schools; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Virginia Tech profile

Wake Forest University

Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Enrollment: 7,968 (4,955 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: One of the more selective universities with test-optional admissions; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; small classes and low student / faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Wake Forest University profile

Washington and Lee University

Location: Lexington, Virginia
Enrollment: 2,160 (1,830 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: One of the country's top liberal arts colleges; founded in 1746 and endowed by George Washington; attractive and historic campus; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; highly selective admissions
For more information and admissions data, visit the Washington and Lee University profile

Wofford College

Location: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Enrollment: 1,683 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church
Distinctions: 11 to 1 student/faculty ratio; campus is a designated National Historic District; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; competes in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference
For more information and admissions data, visit the Wofford College profile

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Grove, Allen. "Top Colleges and Universities in the Southeast." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/top-colleges-and-universities-in-southeast-788286. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). Top Colleges and Universities in the Southeast. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/top-colleges-and-universities-in-southeast-788286 Grove, Allen. "Top Colleges and Universities in the Southeast." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/top-colleges-and-universities-in-southeast-788286 (accessed June 19, 2025).