50 Great Affordable Colleges in the South 2021

best colleges in the south — Click here for high resolution badge

The South is a region known for its many affordable colleges and universities, so many in fact, that it can be challenging to choose the best of the best affordable colleges available. Experts advise evaluating a school in terms of not only tuition, but other factors as well, including accreditation, reputation, and of course, academic offerings.

The process can be overwhelming. To help, our editors got to work evaluating the cheapest colleges in the south and probing them for precisely what they had to offer students interested in pursuing a degree. We looked at all types of different schools, including large and small colleges and universities and public and private institutions. Our methodology led us to consider state-sponsored universities, faith-based schools, and historically black colleges. After many hours of research and careful consideration, we present our selection of the top 50 affordable colleges in the south.

Featured Programs

Rating and Ranking Methodology
Graduate Tuition

Under $2,500—5 points
Under $5,000—4 points
Under $10,000—3 points
Under $15,000—2 points
Under $20,000—1 point

National Recognition (U.S. News & World Report’s Ranking of Best Colleges)

Top 150—1 point
Top 100—2 points
Top 50—3 points
Top 25—4 points

20-Year Net ROI

Over $100,000—1 point
Over $200,000—2 points
Over $300,000—3 points

Here is a sneak peek of the Top Ten

Middle Georgia State University
Western Carolina State University
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Pensacola State College
Dalton State College
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
McNeese State University
Midwestern State University
South Florida State College
Elizabeth City State University

Rating and Ranking the Top 50 Affordable Colleges in the South

To develop this ranking of the best affordable colleges in the south, our editors began with an initial pool of the 115 best value schools in the region. To ensure that we were providing information on the cheapest colleges available, we then applied a tuition filter that eliminated schools with in-state undergraduate tuition rates of over $20,000 per year. Finally, we applied the rating and ranking methodology above, using credible sources like the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), PayScale.com, and each institution’s official website. In the case of a tie, we awarded the most economical school the higher ranking.

Featured Programs

Rating and Ranking MethodologyGraduate Tuition

Rating and Ranking the Top 50 Affordable Colleges in the South

#50—Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, Alabama

#49—Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Natchitoches, Louisiana

#48—West Virginia State University

Institute, West Virginia

#47—Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee

#46—University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

#45—Nicholls State University

Thibodaux, Louisiana

#44—Fairmont State University

Fairmont, West Virginia

#43—Bluefield State College

Bluefield, West Virginia

#42—Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, Arkansas

#41—Mississippi University for Women

Columbus, Mississippi

#40—Henderson State University

Arkadelphia, Arkansas

#39—Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

#38—Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Durant, Oklahoma

#37—Cameron University

Lawton, Oklahoma

#36—Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

#35—Georgia Gwinnett College

Lawrenceville, Georgia

#34—College of Coastal Georgia

Brunswick, Georgia

#33—West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Parkersburg, West Virginia

#32—Gordon State College

Barnesville, Georgia

#31—Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, Georgia

#30—University of North Carolina-Pembroke

Pembroke, North Carolina

#29—Seminole State College of Florida

Sanford, Florida

#28—St. Petersburg College

Clearwater, Florida

#27—Paul Quinn College

Dallas, Texas

#26—Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, Kentucky

#25—University of Tennessee-Martin

Martin, Tennessee

#24—Murray State University

Murray, Kentucky

#23—Kentucky State University

Frankfort, Kentucky

#22—West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas

#21—Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Weatherford, Oklahoma

#20—University of Central Oklahoma

Edmond, Oklahoma

#19—Texas A&M University-Texarkana

Texarkana, Texas

#18—Rogers State University

Claremore, Oklahoma

#17—University of Houston-Victoria

Victoria, Texas

#16—North Carolina Central University

Durham, North Carolina

#15—University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

#14—Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

#13—Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

Okmulgee, Oklahoma

#12—University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Rating and Ranking Methodology
Graduate Tuition